Babysitting
by thisisonlineright
Summary: Dr. Sheldon Cooper was one of the greatest minds of his time, had two doctorates, an IQ of 187, a long list of accomplishments, and was at the top of his career. So, why was he stuck babysitting children he didn't even know?
1. First Meetings

**This specific chapter has been redone several times, in three different years! 2012, 2013 and 2014! You'd think that this story had been waiting for three long years, but really, I only came up with the idea in like end 2012, and now it's finally ready to see the world. I am bit proud, to be honest.**

**I strongly suggest that you read "Alcohol Leads to Cicatrice" before reading this, and if you can't bear to read M fics, just skip over the actual smut. That oneshot is like, the key to this fic, and not reading it will make this fic lose something when the time comes. It even explains some parts of this fic, so go and read it! Seriously.**

**Assumed past-Shenny and eventual Shenny.**

* * *

She lifted her hand to the door, knocking nine times.

Penny looked around the familiar hallway, recalling each and every memory she had there, all of the good and bad ones, they were all special to her. Absolutely nothing had changed; even the elevator was still broken, just like two years ago.

"Two _long_ years," she whispered to herself.

Two years had flown by so quickly and everything seemed like it was just like yesterday. Like it was still the time when she lived in the opposite apartment, _before_ she left Pasadena for good. It wasn't easy, to leave everything behind and move out to Nebraska, but she did. She left her job at the Factory, her friends—her whole life. She didn't want to, but she had to, and so she did. She needed a fresh start, a whole new outlook on life that wasn't caused by buying a new skirt or a cute top. She needed to grow up, and that was exactly what she went through in Nebraska. Then, a year later, her agent called her saying that some director was interested in starring her in a new show. She had originally thought that the show was just a hoax and was actually porn, but when the director personally called her, she didn't need a second thought and flew back to California.

The show was a 'dramedy' called _Halfway There_. The story was about a woman, who was terribly cruel her whole life, that dies in an accident and is sent to hell. Once there, she begs for her life back, and due to a misunderstanding, she returns to Earth. Since it could not be undone, the person in charge tells her that there is a catch to her returning. She would be an entirely different person, with a different name and would have few memories of her past life. Then, unbeknownst to her character, she has to make up for all the bad things she did to people, as well as help other "lost" souls like herself. She thought that it was kind of a ripped off version of the movie, _Chances Are_, and the show, _My Name Is Earl_, combined, but once she saw the storyline, she realized that it was nothing like it, and loved the story.

The entire cast and crew thought that the show wasn't going to get picked up, but much to their surprise, the show was a hit. The first two episodes created a buzz online and were constantly praised by critics and viewers. They said that the story was fresh, that the production was great and that the actors were brilliant. Barely five episodes later, she became famous online, and on television. Like a household name, except less famous. _Halfway There_ had even received nominations at the Emmys; Outstanding Drama series, Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, and, _Outstanding Lead Actress_. When the crew had told her about her nomination, she had fainted from excitement, and up to this day, she still couldn't believe that she was recognized as an actress. It was more than a dream to get recognized by the Emmy committee, and she was excited to go- but, she couldn't.

Which brought her back to the reason she was back at 2311 Los Robles.

She was flying to France in five hours to shoot her first movie—an action-thriller called _Hindsight_ that was set in a timeline that fused the present and the past. It was about an international super spy hunting down a traitor for spilling the CIA's secrets to the KGB. Unbeknownst to the spy, it was his daughter who was betraying the CIA. _She_ was playing the international super spy's daughter, who had been betraying her father from the start, and was a double agent with a hidden agenda. Penny was extra nervous on shooting her first movie, but she was excited as well. The movie had a big budget and an all-star cast, who were all A-listers. She was probably the least famous in the cast, but her being in the movie alone was good enough for her. There were also three more movies lined up for her, and she couldn't help but think that her dreams were finally coming true.

She was deemed, "the Penny who changed Hollywood," and was considered as one of the stars to look out for. She starred in a critically acclaimed show, was nominated in the _Emmys_ and was starring in a highly anticipated movie. She was a lot of years away from a star on the Walk of Fame, but she was living the dream. She wouldn't ever had thought that her life would be this great. She was no longer Penny, the waitress that had no money to pay for the bills, or the Penny that had a car that was a few more seconds to dying or the Penny who only had baking soda in her fridge. No, she was now _Penny_, the Emmy nominated actress.

… and a mother to one and a half year old twins.

Penny looked down after feeling someone tugging on her skirt.

"Mommy, wat do hewe?" Maddison asked, a tiny hand reaching up to rub her eye. Penny crouched down, patting the top of her blonde head. "This is where Uncle Leonard lives." The toddler nodded, turning to her twin, Andrew, who had plopped down on the floor, a deep frown on his face. "Mommy, Andy want eat."

"Don't worry, this won't take long. We just have to get you settled before mommy leaves." Penny smiled at her son before standing up as the door opened.

"Penny?"

* * *

"I swear if Kripke hides my files one last time, I will _obliterate_ him." Sheldon hissed as Leonard kept on glancing at the clock.

"Are you even listening to me?" There was a knock on the door, and Leonard knew who it was. "Fine, if you won't listen to me then don't, but please bear in mind that this will be reflected in the next roommate performance review. I'll get the door while you ponder on whether or not you should get a hearing aid," the theoretical physicist huffed, making his way to the door. Sometimes, he just wanted to reprogram his tiny roommate if he could get hold of the various illegal equipment needed for a successful whole body operation. He'd even be so kind as to add a chip that removed lactose intolerance, and his roommate's sad desire to please everyone around him. But that would only be _after_ he removed all of his undesirable traits.

With a raised eyebrow, he opened the door and found his eyes widening.

"Penny?" He blinked at the hallucination in front of him, then fainted.

"Leonard, oh my god!" Penny yelped as Sheldon hit the floor. Leonard scrambled from his desk, crouching down beside Sheldon, before grabbing his hands and dragging the unconscious physicist over to the couch. "Is he alright?" The blonde asked, poking the edge of her shoes on Sheldon's chest.

"Yeah, he's breathing," Leonard answered in relief as he removed his fingers from Sheldon's pulse. "What did you do to stimulate such a reaction from him?"

The blonde crossed her arms, tilting her head to the side as her twins slowly crept towards Sheldon. "Honestly? Nothing. I didn't even say anything, and he just fainted." She watched as Andy poked Sheldon with a stubby finger while Maddie looked around the apartment. "Wait, did you even tell him that I was coming over to drop the twins off?" Leonard stared at her, and Penny bared her teeth in irritation. "Did you even tell him that you were going to look after the twins?" Leonard gave Penny an apologetic grin, and winced when Penny angrily hissed, declaring that he fix Sheldon while she brought the twins' things up.

About a month ago, Penny had called him to have lunch together. She had told him about the new movie she was doing, and that she was going to be gone for just two months since the rest of the movie would be shot in California. She also asked him if he could babysit the twins while she was off shooting her movie, because—due to various odd reasons—he was the only one she could trust with them. Leonard was glad to hear about her doing her first-ever movie; he, Raj and Howard had been supporting Penny's acting career since the first time they saw her in the preview of her show. They never missed an episode, and constantly supported her online. They were even members of her fan club. Though he had gotten depressed when she had crushed his heart, he didn't hesitate to come when Penny asked him to meet her a few months after she had left California. He was ecstatic when he first saw her, and was so glad to see her again—then, he saw her pregnant belly and all hell broke loose. It took two hours of explanations from Penny, and a catharsis of anger at the arcade near the restaurant they ate at, for him to finally understand and move on from Penny.

Starting that day, he spoke to her on a daily basis, even after her pregnancy when she moved back to California—though it was getting harder and harder for Penny to do that with her busy schedule—and had grown familiar to Penny's twins. They even called him Uncle _Wenad_ when they learned to talk and it wasn't long until Raj—who stalked him after work—met with Penny again, and became acquainted with the twins. Raj was a big fan of Penny's show—which had just started at the time—and had never gave up hope that he'd meet with his close friend again. Raj was actually the one who had started the fan club when he heard that Penny was going to star in 'Halfway There.' Even Howard and Bernadette eventually got to catch up with Penny, and met the twins, and they all normally went out for lunch whenever Penny was free. There was only one person who constantly refused to go with them. One person who never failed in expressing his contempt for Penny, and absolute refusal in hearing about anything regarding Penny.

Sheldon.

Ever since the day that Penny left—and she had broken her promise of driving him to the mall—Sheldon had grown cold towards Penny. He complained whenever they mentioned her name, and ranted whenever they watched her show. It was safe to say that Sheldon flat out hated her, and it was still a mystery as to why he did. He didn't even know why Sheldon would hate her, since she _technically_ did nothing wrong. But Sheldon did, and each time they tried and begged for him to join them for lunch with Penny, he angrily protested and gave them all a strike. They never invited him again, and it never bothered his roommate that he was the only one no longer interacting with Penny. Raj had thought that it was such a shame, especially since the shared such a special _bond_ and had brought it to himself to inform Sheldon on Penny's social life. During silence that occurred while they ate, Raj would tell them about what Penny was said to do in those gossip shows he loved, and Sheldon always ignored him. Sheldon literally chose not to have anything to do with Penny, and it got his curiosity. Because if anyone should be mad at Penny, it would be him. Not Sheldon. But that was in the past.

They never did got a chance to tell Sheldon that Penny had kids.

So, when Penny asked Leonard if it would be okay for the twins to stay at their apartment for the time being, he didn't hesitate to say yes.

"—those are their carseats, I placed their things in your room and I sent you an e-mail of their schedule and preferred food." Penny told him as she roamed around the room, checking if she had brought everything up. "Do you think that you can put some safety bumpers? Your apartment is literally a death trap, and I can write you a blank cheque for whatever the twins need."

Leonard shook his head, placing a plate of cookies on the coffee table for the twins to eat. "No, you don't have to worry about anything. I don't think that those bumpers will cost a lot, and I'm sure Howard can whip up something even more safe than wall guards. Plus, Raj won't waste a second without spoiling these two."

Penny frowned at the sight of her twins munching on the cookies. "I can barely get them to eat anything green or funny looking, and now you're feeding them cookies?" She gave Andy a stern look, and the toddler simply shrugged and continued eating. "And please don't let Raj spoil them too much. I know he loves the two, but I won't be able to meet their expectations when Raj practically offers to buy them a pony! Or to feed them every single sweet tasting food in the planet!" Leonard chuckled, grabbing a cookie and taking a bite of it while eyeing the still unconscious Sheldon slumped against the couch. "The Penny I know from two years ago would have finished that plate of cookies all alone. Now, you're mad at the sight of it! My, things have changed."

"Keep that up and I'll shove that plate down your throat," the blonde warned, taking another glance around the apartment. "Penny, are you really sure that leaving the twins here is a good idea? It's just that, do you really think that Sheldon and I will be able to take care of them? I'll be okay with doing it, since I've practically been babysitting Sheldon for years now, but can you really trust Sheldon for this? He might ship the twins off to Antarctica or something." Penny sighed, rubbing her temples as she finally understood what Leonard was implying. "Oh, I think I trust Sheldon _way_ too much. You know that I need to do this, and that I owe it to the twins. Wait, why are you even questioning my decision when you're the one who suggested that I do this?"

Leonard shrugged, "just wanted to double check. Hey, are you sure you have all of the twins' things in my room? You'll need to get to the airport in a few."

"Oh right, let me just go and check," Penny nodded, glancing at her watch then heading to Leonard's room. Right as Penny disappeared, Sheldon's eyes flew open—scaring both Leonard and the twins.

Sheldon slowly sat up, Leonard looming over him with a look of concern as he rubbed the back of his head. "Buddy, are you okay?" He nodded, narrowing his eyes at what he thought he saw. He saw Penny, _alive_, and two brats who looked a lot like her. He hadn't heard from Penny since she left, and had decided to sever any connection with her. If he was still her friend, she would have at least replied to his monthly update e-mail. He sometimes heard about her from Raj, that she had become a star, but he didn't care. The non-written friendship agreement declares that, if a friend shall leave the state, he or she must at least inform the other friend, and say goodbye. She broke that, and he found no reason to know about her life. He had lost all respect for their former neighbor the moment that she broke his trust. She didn't deserve his friendship, or his time or day, or a .1 kb amount of space in his mind.

"I thought I saw Penny," he told his roommate, placing a hand on his forehead. It must have been the orange chicken that made him hallucinate. He needed to cut back on the fake tangerine chicken that Raj kept on insisting was real. "She had two miniature versions of herself and I think my spontaneous decision of changing our eating schedule has fired back." Leonard sighed in relief before standing up—why was he slouched against the couch?—and extended a hand out to Sheldon. "Um, about that... Penny is here. With her twins. But she's leaving for Paris. And we're going to babysit for her while she's gone. Want some dessert? We can go out if you want some." Sheldon frowned as he deciphered what Leonard's stammering translated to. Then, as if to prove a point, two tiny humans wobbled over to him, staring at him with large, sky blue eyes.

"Who dat?"

"Dat Sedon."

"Oh! Why he on floh?"

"Dunno."

"Leonard," he slowly said, sending Leonard's extended hand a glare. "What is the meaning of this?" Sheldon gritted his teeth as he stood, glaring down at his roommate. "They're, um, Andy and Maddie, they're Penny's kids, and she's, uh, going to France... So, I volunteered on babysitting for her?"

"You _what?_" That was it. Sheldon didn't care if the children would cry or get traumatized for the rest of their lives; he was mad and Leonard deserved reprimanding. He, himself, hated shouting and fighting, but sometimes he just couldn't help it when your roommate is _this_ infuriating. "You took in two strangers, _without_ my permission, and expect me to just accept this?!" The experimental physicist nervously wrung his hands, "they're not strangers, they're Penny's ki—"

"Penny?! Who is she who shall not be named? The person we decided is banned from this apartment for breaking every friendship rule there is? The traitor who just went up and left? Tell me, how you plan on getting me to agree to this, Leonard. Because I am _very_ interested in your explanation!" Sheldon was fuming, and Leonard knew it. They had an unspoken rule of never allowing Penny to return to the apartment, ever. Penny was worse than Benedict Arnold, Judas, Darth Vader and Rupert Murdoch, the guy who cancelled Firefly, on his list of traitors. It took a lot for him to accommodate Penny into his life, and it didn't take a second for her to just disregard all of them out of hers. "Well, uh, it's cause I, uh..."

"Leonard, let me handle this." Sheldon snapped his head towards the hall to their rooms, where Penny stood. "_You_, how dare you return here like you never broke our trust!"

The blonde had a tight frown on her face, and her arms crossed across her chest—that was what Penny normally looked like whenever she was unimpressed with him. Sheldon didn't care if she had once been his friend, the fact remained that she broke his trust, and that was unforgivable. Just a day before she vanished, she had promised him that she would take him shopping for one of the tenured professor's birthday. Then, she left without a single word, and he was the only one who didn't have a gift for the retiring professor. He had given her fifteen strikes for it, then Leonard told him that she left. For good. It took him awhile to find out if he had done anything to offend her by suggesting the shopping trip, but he found himself not at fault. It was _Penny_ who had a problem, not him. He did not miss her when she left, but he did find her absence noticeable. Mostly due to mainly relying on Leonard for transportation. Unlike when Penny had been present to drive him everywhere, Leonard usually threatened to make him ride the bus.

The first month of Penny's absence was unbearable for him, with Leonard constantly crying and singing to Alannis Morisette's 'You Oughta Know' and asking him what he did wrong—which was a lot. Even Howard and Raj got weepy, but he did not falter his cold stand on the matter of the backstabbing, traitor named Penny. Though he somewhat missed having someone to show his superiority to, he had been returned to being the best HALO player in their group. Had Penny still been there, he would be the second best, and that was not good. However, as the months dragged on; Leonard suddenly stopped talking to him and even disappeared for a week during the fifth month of Penny's absence. When he returned, he ignored him for quite a while, then suddenly reverted back to normal without any reason whatsoever.

Plus, sometime after the milestone of a year passing since Penny left, Raj told him that it was customary for former friends to e-mail each other with all of the anger and appreciation one ever had for the other. Since it was social protocol, he secretly did what Raj told him to do. He sent her e-mails daily for an entire month—aside from the monthly one he sent everyone—but she never replied. Not a single one was answered, and that led him to remove anything Penny reminiscent in his life. He even almost dispatched Leonard, but he needed him for doing his tedious tasks.

"I know you're mad," Penny started, walking over to where they stood. "But I had my reasons, and you have to respect that."

"Respect what?" Sheldon scoffed angrily, and for some unknown reason, he felt a twinge of pain on his wrist. "Penny, you promised to accompany me to the mall to get a gift for Professor Lancaster. I was the only one without a gift—even _Wolowitz_ had a gift, and they've never even met. Do you know how embarrassed I was?"

"Sheldon, let it go," Leonard pleaded beside him, the brats hiding behind his roommate's legs. "That's over and done with, and was two years ago. Professor Lancaster didn't even care!" The physicist turned to his roommate, his face twitching in anger. "He cared. I saw how his smile diminished when he learned that I did not have a gift, and you know it." Sheldon turned back to Penny, he wasn't done with her. He certainly was not done with her. "Did you know that I was the laughing stock of the physics department, _for the third time_? It has even come to my realization that you were the cause of all of the disgrace I have ever endured! Are you happy to hear about my demise, _bane_ of my existence?"

The blonde released something close to a growl, and Sheldon did not back down, preparing himself for any acts of violence that Penny would do. He had played this game many times before, and even if Penny called his mother, he would not let her win. He had already knuckled under for her so many times before that he had had enough. "You know what? Fine! I'm sorry, okay! Sorry that you didn't get your _stupid_ gift. Sorry that I ruined your life, yet again! Sorry that I always ruin your stupid reputation! Sorry that I'm _always_ the cause of your misery!" Penny was seething and Leonard had an overtly concerned expression, but Sheldon merely snickered. It was the truth and Penny had to face the fact that she was the biggest nuisance in his life. "There, I apologized. Are you happy now?"

"Hardly," Sheldon snorted and he swore that Penny was about to strangle him. Instead she huffed, bent down to kiss the brats on their foreheads and sent him a vicious glare that he'd seen many times before. "Whatever, I'm leaving. Unlike _you_ spiteful ba-" Leonard rapidly shook his head, pointing to the brats, "-_beast_, I have somewhere to be, and something more important to do!" She faced Leonard, giving him a small, strangled smile. "Thanks again for doing this." He smiled back then Penny turned back to Sheldon, growled then stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door.

"I'm glad that she's gone!" Sheldon exclaimed, sending the door an angry look as if Penny was still there. Her mere presence had ruined his day, and he had been excited all day for Star Wars; Clone Wars night. Curse her and her hobby of ruining his life. "People like her should stay away from our fortress of solitude for good. She had brought nothing but an endless amount of problems into this apartment, and it is high time that we put an end to her terrorizing ways! To think that she even brought those brats with her! The nerve!" He shook his head in disbelief before marching to his desk and prying his laptop open. "Thank goodness she took those brats with her! I won't be able to withhold my anger if she had left them here as if we were some sort of daycare center. The nerve of that woman."

Sheldon triumphantly grinned as he heard Leonard settle on the couch. He must feel defeated; he wouldn't allow Penny to once again soil their lives. How dare she even bring her offsprings with who-knows-who here! How dare she even think that she could just leave them here in the apartment where he had spent so many hours ensuring that it was pristine! Children brought in germs, especially stranger's children that could have picked up strange diseases from god knows where. Leonard probably thought of it as another attempt for him to win Penny back. _Foolish_, he thought. He shouldn't have been surprised that Leonard would do anything to get Penny to love him again; he did that all the time. It never worked, and Leonard never learned. Now that she had offsprings, that idea was even more unlikely. As well as his idea of having "beautiful and smart" progenies with her. He let out a laugh, Leonard was too foolish. They would always be imaginary.

"Sedon mad?"

"Maddie tink so."

"He scawy."

"He mean."

Sheldon's features hardened, and he swore that he could hear unintelligent voices chatting.

"Why Sedon mad?"

"Dunno."

"Not wike Uncah Wenad."

"Uncah Wenad fun."

Sheldon peered over his shoulder, and found the _brats_ sitting in the middle of the couch. They were nibbling on cookies, and he had a strong urge to viciously scold them and obliterate _Leonard_. Those were _his_ cookies, that they bought for watching Star Wars: Clone Wars—not for germ infested, unfamiliar, un-welcomed, feebleminded crawlers! "LEONARD!" He bolted from his chair, and spun around to face the kitchen where Leonard stood. "What are they still doing here?!" The bespectacled man blinked, placing the bottles of milk down on the counter. Bottles! They couldn't even drink from a glass yet! Preposterous! "I told you, we're babysitting for Penny. She'll be gone for two months, and doesn't trust anyone to watch over the twins."

"Why doesn't she just leave them with her parents in Nebraska? Or with her friends that _aren't_ us? Didn't you say that she was famous, now? Can't she hire someone?" Leonard sighed, lifting the bottles and making his way to where the _brats_ were. He handed one to each of them. "Something about her dad feeding them too much corn. Her friends are all busy, and have no experience with children. The last babysitter she hired stole some of her things and sold them on eBay, you can check. It's actually pretty surprising to see that Penny's used nail polish costs about a hundred bucks." Sheldon felt anger boiling up inside him, he really had to stay away from Leonard's schemes. They never ended well. "_We_ don't have any experience with children, as well!" Sheldon shrieked at his roommate. "If this is another one of your ploys to get Penny to get back with you, I want no part of it!"

Leonard scrunched his face in distaste, "it is not! I'm doing this because I'm her friend, and you are, too!"

"I believe we stopped being friends the moment she neglected her duties and left us for good." He was seething as he glanced at the brats on _his_ couch. Their resemblance to Penny was astonishing, and even had the same mannerisms as her. They both had golden blonde hair, big, blue eyes—Penny had green eyes, but theirs might lighten into the same shade as they grew up—and both sported that clueless look Penny always had on. The boy was cluelessly staring at him as he ate the cookie, while the girl ignored him. _Very Penny_, he mused to himself as he observed the brats again. How were they supposed to deal with children that they've never even met? He had never had any experience with children, and had always despised their every being. Babies were noisy, pooping, slobbering messes, and these two were probably no different. There were two! One child was hard enough, what would they do with another one?

"I know what you're thinking, Sheldon," Leonard spoke, glancing at the brats. "You're thinking that we can't take them in, and that we should return them. Sheldon, they're kids, not dogs! We can't just put them in a box and leave them somewhere!" Sheldon pursed his lips, that could easily be arranged; the brats were small enough to be placed in a box. Maybe even a large box for them to move in, since he was such a kind person. Leonard, noticing that his roommate was seriously considering the idea, leapt to his feet. "We are _not_ putting them in a box!"

Sheldon held his hands up in defense, "that wasn't what I was thinking about."

"Then what were you thinking about?"

"That we could leave them in an _orphanage_, and that Penny wouldn't notice." The physicist sardonically smiled as Leonard groaned in frustration. "We're not leaving them in an orphanage! We are _not_ throwing them away, do you understand? We will take care of them, whether you like it or not!" Sheldon scowled down at his improbable roommate who was far too persistent on insisting that the brats stay here in their apartment. He had a feeling that this really was just a ploy to get Penny back, and that this would have disastrous results. Leonard's plans always ended badly, and it was always he who was there to witness each and every one of them. Sheldon felt an odd sense of amusement whenever one of Leonard's desperate attempts at wooing Penny crashed and burned. It was great to know that he had been right from the very start—that Leonard and Penny would _never_ work.

It would be remarkable if he once again proved that this new attempt of Leonard's would end the same way the others did—sad, miserable and much to Leonard's pathetic dismay. He might even be able to prove his theory that Leonard's plans always ended badly, whatever the goal was.

With a huff, Sheldon turned and stormed to his desk; he would watch from the sidelines as this plan went up in smoke. He'd make sure that he would be the one to say the much deserved I told you so. Maybe when this train has run it's track, Leonard will finally learn his lesson and understand that his relationship with Penny is futile and that Penny is nothing but trouble. Leonard should be happy to have him as his roommate; he was such a good friend. "Fine, but you're taking care of them, and it is _your_ time that will be wasted. I expect that you won't mess up my routine, Leonard. Or else they _will _be placed in a box and be sent off to Madagascar." He heard Leonard sigh in relief as he grabbed a clipboard and a pen from a drawer, then swiveled his chair to face Leonard. His roommate was sitting at the end of the couch, beside the two brats. "But first, I have several questions I must ask before completely allowing you to push through with this asinine plan of yours."

The male brat—Andy—craned his neck to look at Leonard. "Uncah Wenad, wat as... asni... asnin?" Sheldon chuckled in disapproval; they were just like their mother!

"Uh, it means funny, and don't use that word, it's bad." Leonard explained, causing the brat to nod and loudly whisper to the female brat—Maddie—that 'asnin' was bad. "And don't look so condescending, Sheldon! They're a year and half, they're not supposed to know what asinine means!" The bespectacled man turned back to the brats, who each had a hand covering their mouths from hearing the bad word, and shook his head. "Don't use that word. So, Sheldon, what were the questions you were going to ask me?"

He raised an eyebrow, clicking his pen as he scribbled the brats' names on the paper. "Yes, now, first question; what is their exact birthdate?" Sheldon paused, pursing his lips in thought, "or birth _dates_, if Penny had given birth to the second brat at midnight."

Leonard frowned, "don't call them brats, they have names, and you know it. They were born on November 9, 2010. I don't know the exact time, though." Sheldon nodded, writing the date down on the second item (birthdate) of his form. "That would mean that they're about twenty-one months old, not _a year and a half, _like you previously claimed. From what I can see and hear, they can walk and—surprisingly—talk in fragmented, mispronounced sentences. Not very impressive as I have been said to be able to talk properly by the age of seventeen months. But this isn't novel as I am, a prodigy, and these are _Penny_ and some unknown—probably a doltish neanderthal—man's progenies." He ignored the look of incredulity that Leonard was sending him, and continued. "Have they been thoroughly potty trained?"

His roommate brought his phone out, scrolling through something as the brats leaned over his arm to see what he was doing. "According to the e-mail Penny sent me, they are, but still require diapers for any accidents that might happen. I'll send you the e-mail, it will have the complete list of everything important about them. Like food preferences and their schedules—Penny seems to be very strict about this." Sheldon snickered and added the information to the list. "Very well, I'll inspect it for additional details. Now, how long will they be staying here? Please be precise."

"At least two months, and maybe longer if there are any problems on set."

"Alright. Are you sure it's not too late to get Penny to take them back?" Sheldon raised an eyebrow, lowering the clipboard as Leonard groaned. "Yes, she's probably boarding the plane as we speak, or something."

"Understood. Will you take complete and full responsibility over them?"

"I'll try; I already requested a short vacation and permission to work here at home. But I already used up my vacation days, so they might not give me anything more than a week. Will it be okay if you take care of them once my vacation is up? You _do_ have a lot of remaining vacation days ready for consumption." Leonard was hopeful, and Sheldon snorted in derision. "That's a negatory, as I have no plans of taking a vacation. However, you may submit a request for that specific conundrum, and I shall look over it when I can." Sheldon ripped a sheet from the clipboard and placed it in the coffee table. "You will get a response within forty-eight hours regarding your request. Now, back to the important part; are you a hundred percent sure that it's not too late to force Penny to get them back?"

"For the last time, yes, it's too late, and no, you are not going to ship them to France!"

They stared at each for a while until Sheldon sighed in defeat, scribbling 'unsuccessful' on the box he created asking if it was too late to return the brats. "Drat, I was hoping that my continuous prodding would somehow change your mind." He drew two lines at the bottom of the page, then directed his gaze at the two brats sitting beside Leonard. They were both still nibbling on a cookie, and retained the familiar clueless expression that belonged to their traitorous former neighbor, Penny. He suddenly felt another twinge of pain on his wrist, and glanced at the last part of his form. "One last question, are both of you able to sign your names?"

Brat one and two both stopped chewing on the cookie, and blinked; unable to comprehend what he had asked.

"Disappointing, but again, what's to expect?" Sheldon shook his head and tucked the clipboard under his arm as he stood. "I guess I'll just have to create an efficient, anomalous crayon made signature that is suitable for a couple of feebleminded brats. Let it never be said that Sheldon Lee Cooper ignored the the silent pleas of infants asking that they be represented in creating a temporary mark of identification that they will most certainly not use once they are of appropriate age to create one themselves."

"Hey, what are you mumbling about?" Leonard asked as Sheldon made his way to the hall. "And where are you going?"

Sheldon stopped, took a few steps back and lifted the clipboard as if it was the answer. "I'm going to my room to locate the first unrevised version of the roommate agreement to use as reference for a more age appropriate one that would be suitable for those two brats."

Leonard winced, "don't tell me you're...?"

"Yes, I'm drawing up a temporary roommate agreement for those brats. Please don't make me repeat myself again, Leonard. Now excuse me, as it will take a lot of referencing and googling to translate the agreement into something even a toddler would understand."

"Da ooh-met ag-eeh-met?" Andy repeated questioningly to his twin sister, "wat dat?"

Maddie shrugged, moving to the edge of the couch to grab a cookie from the coffee table. "Dunno."

Leonard stared at the hall even after his roommate disappeared; finally processing what Sheldon had been blabbering about the entire time. Penny was going to murder him if she ever found out that Sheldon forced her kids to _sign_ a temporary roommate agreement.

"Penny is so going to kill him," he muttered to himself in fear.


	2. Safety Collisions

**My aunt's birthday is tomorrow! Hooray! Happy 57th birthday to my wonderful aunt!**

**To Leanne: I'm glad that you read the prequel even though you can't handle smut! And I also promise that Sheldon won't ship the twins to Timbuktu!**

**Enjoy (or hiss at) insensitive jerk Sheldon while you can, cause he's going to soften up soon!**

* * *

Sheldon had to admit, in the course of four days, he had grown oddly interested and acquainted with the two new inhabitants of their apartment.

He had even assigned a unique—yet appropriate—nickname for each of the brats.

Andy, the male brat, was _Zippy_. Mainly because of his unwavering amount of energy and curiosity for everything, and that often irritated him. He was like a dog; blabbering about everything and running up to anything that he was unfamiliar with. Secretly, Sheldon admired the brat's curiosity and excitement for anything he didn't know of. It was a quality of a scientist, and maybe—just _maybe_—he could sharpen this trait within the two months that the brats would lodge here, and turn him into a future scientist. If, of course, there was some sort of miracle that the kid—who was almost a carbon copy of his mother—would somehow managed to _not_ inherit Penny's intelligence; then maybe he could be a scientist.

Then there was Maddie, the female brat, who he named _Sully_—which was short for sullen. The female brat was laid back compared to her twin, and often only spoke unless she was really interested. Zippy would constantly blab to her about something, and—during most days—she would only say 'dunno' unless she actually cared. She did, however, went out of her quiet trance whenever Sheldon was present, and would name various mundane objects that infuriated him to a great extent. Unlike her twin who ran around the apartment, Sully always sat on the the opposite of the couch—which Leonard deemed as _her_ spot—and watched tv. Sheldon theorized that the female brat was a bit more intelligent than the male one, and did not bother to care about anything else. He liked that about her; it reminded him of himself when he was growing up with Missy who was an annoying, overly energetic motor mouth.

Leonard refused to allow him to call the brats those nicknames. He also refused to allow him to refer to the brats as 'brats'.

He learned a lot about the brats—_twins_ from both Penny's e-mail and from observation. The twins did not eat anything green or funny looking, and had a certain selection of Penny approved food that they were supposed to eat. They worshipped the ground that cartoons walked on, such as Sesame Street, and would throw a hissy fit of tears if they didn't watch it at least once a day. They also had their own respective plush toys that they slept with—a Winnie the Pooh doll for the female, and a Woody the Cowboy doll for the male. It seemed that they also loved anything Disney related, as their bags came with a set of classic Disney movies. They detested baths—Leonard was in charge of that—and often wanted to go out of the apartment to visit the nearby park. According to the e-mail, female twin enjoyed observing the activities happening at parks and male twin liked to play at the playground.

He noticed that if he placed the siblings side by side, they would only be distinguishable by the haircut they donned, even though they were fraternal twins. Male twin had blonde hair that fell a little above his eyes and reached the nape of his neck, while female twin had her hair cut up to her shoulders, and sported bangs—either way, they were both miniature Pennys. Upon closer inspection, he observed that male twin's eyes were a lighter shade of blue than female twin's, and that when it was hit by sunlight, it was a blue-ish green color. Which further strengthened Sheldon's theory that their eyes could still change into the shade of green that Penny had. Both absolutely _loved_ sweets, and female twin liked fruits more than male twin did. They also had a peculiar regard for Sheldon, and always fought on who got to talk to _Sedon_, which was unsurprising, as he really _was_ amazing.

Sheldon also learned that, if you ignored the male brat long enough, he would start running around the apartment—where female brat would start to go after him to tell him to stop—and that their apartment was _very_ unsafe for a pair of curious brats.

They learned the last part the hard way.

"Ice! Get an ice pack!" Leonard called as he struggled to carry both of the crying brats to the couch.

Sheldon was busy composing a paper on his current research when male twin, _Andy_, went up to him and started babbling about what he learned on tv. Apparently, the foolish puppet said that today's episode was brought to them by the letter O, and the word of the day was orange. The physicist ignored the infant for about ten minutes, then the brat decided to entertain himself by running around the apartment, attempting to recall what each item was called. Sheldon decided that 'ooksef' (bookshelf) and 'eskop' (telescope) tied as the most cringe-worthy of all the items that male brat named. The female twin, _Maddie_, had gotten annoyed by her brother's actions, and decided to chase after him to tell him to stop. Then, when Maddie finally got a hold of her twin, Andy tripped and bumped his head against the column that stood at the hall to their rooms. To make matters worse, when Andy fell back, he accidentally knocked Maddie down, and they now had two crying toddlers in pain.

Right when Penny decided to call in via Skype.

"What the hell happened?" The weary mother inquired, leaning into the camera to get a better view of her kids crying. It was two in the morning in France, and due to the ungodly time difference, Penny only called twice; once in the morning (California time) and once in the evening. She normally called to check in on her twins, and to simply catch up with them. Sheldon didn't talk to her much; he refused to. Although he had found a keen interest for the twins, that change of opinion did not apply to their mother. She was still a traitor, and no matter how many times she apologize via video chat, e-mail and text message, he would not forgive her.

"Andy ran around the apartment, Maddie followed, and they both tumbled down. Just like Jack and Jill who went up the hill to fetch a pail of water." Sheldon dully replied, handing Leonard the ice pack before settling his spot. "And before you overreact, Maddie is okay, and Andy only has a small bump on the head. It's not deadly."

Leonard sent Sheldon a look, holding an ice pack to Andy's forehead. "Sheldon, she's just worried! Can you please just be civil to Penny while I take care of this?" Sheldon huffed, turning the laptop to face him and was met with Penny deeply frowning. She looked overtly tired, and if she were not blacklisted, and was currently in the room, he _might_ have offered her a drink. Sadly, she was blacklisted, and he strongly abhorred her being, and social protocol only applies to friends. And she was in a different continent oceans away. "Leonard, didn't I tell you to get some corner guards to prevent this exact situation?"

"We did! Howard made an even more efficient one that had a soft clay texture, and we placed it on every sharp corner in this apartment."

"Then what the hell happened?" Penny said through gritted teeth, and Sheldon simply stared at the screen; the blonde was fuming. Penny always had a tendency to overreact over the simplest situations; this was not surprising. Parenthood may have been a key factor as to why her possibility of overreacting has heightened, which is a trait Penny shared with his own mother, who always overreacted whenever Missy tripped while playing. She didn't die, she just got a scrape, yet their mother acted as if she had gotten a near death experience. He would never understood parenthood. "It appears that the clay had hardened as opposed to what Howard originally thought," he answered for Leonard, and Penny's frown did not waver. "The original design was for the clay to stay in it's standard soft form, but as expected, it dried, and even if we moistened them daily, it will not revert to it's original form."

"Then what do you intend to do?" Sheldon mentally huffed; why did Penny have so many questions for him, and why was Leonard not answering? This was Leonard's problem, not his. He was only here for observation, and for the triumphant moment where he is proven right, yet again. "Ask Leonard." Shifting to the edge of the couch, he grabbed the laptop and turned it back to Leonard's direction.

The twins had both stopped crying the moment that they saw their mother on the screen. "Mommy!" They cried in unison as they pushed Leonard to move out of the way. "Andy hurt! Mommy kiss booboo!" One cried, and the other placed a tiny hand on her twin's face, shoving him out of the way. "Mommy! Andy hurt Maddie! No kiss Andy booboo!"

"Okay, twins, don't fight—" Penny pleaded as the twins started to roughly push each other out of the way. The need for roughhousing, Sheldon noted, another thing the twins had inherited from their mother. "Mommy will kiss all of those booboos once she's back, okay? So, just stop fighting for now?"

Andy's face contorted in disapproval, and Leonard nearly shuddered at the familiarity. "Mommy! Andy hurt! Kiss, peas?"

"No! Mommy peas kiss Maddie booboo!"

Sheldon snorted, "there's an l in _please_."

"Sheldon, not now!" Leonard barked as Maddie successfully pushed her twin out of the way. "Mommy, Maddie booboo hurt! Peas kiss?" The female twin stuck her bottom lip out, extending her short arm out to the laptop. Andy—who had been shoved to the back of the couch—started to cry, causing his twin to cry out as well.

Sheldon sent the crying pair a glare while Leonard softly told them to stop crying. He didn't understand why they were crying; it's not like they were dying or something. And he was a hundred percent sure that kissing a booboo _did not_ cure any type of injuries, but a disinfectant might. "Penny," he loudly said, trying to get the older blonde's attention over the cacophony of crocodile tears. "It has come to my understanding that they want you to 'kiss' their non-existent injury. May you please just pretend to kiss it and save us from this misery?"

Penny raised an eyebrow at him through the screen, then stared at her sobbing kids. Sheldon had a point. "Okay. Hey, Andy, Maddie?" The twins stopped crying again, sniffing and rubbing their eyes on their arms before staring up at the screen. "Okay, now show me where your booboos are." Andy pointed to his forehead while Maddie lifted her arm towards the screen. "Mommy's going to kiss your booboos, okay? One, two, three," Penny puckered her lips and made a loud kissing sound, while Sheldon winced. "There, mommy kissed your booboos! Are you okay now?"

Andy blinked, a hand reaching out to the tiny bump that was now receding. His mommy's kisses always made everything better! "Mommy! Andy booboo no hurt no more!" Maddie nodded in agreement, staring at her arm in amazement. "Mommy kiss da bestest!"

Sheldon shook his head, "there is no such word as _bestest_. The proper word is—"

"Will you please just let it go, Sheldon?" Penny cried in irritation. She honestly could not believe that he was pointing out every flaw that her twins had. Every time she tried to be nice, and asked him about how he was, he would rudely reply to her and complain about her kids! If only she could just jump out of the screen and punch him and his condescending, know-it-all self, she really would. But no, apparently someone had to alter space and time before that could be possible—which was what Sheldon arrogantly told her when she told him that she wanted to teleport from the laptop and strangle him on his spot. He also did not fail at pointing out his hatred for her; which was quite an improvement from simply ignoring her. Truth be told, she had missed the whack-a-doodle—even with all his infuriating craziness—and it somehow hurt her that he was acting so distant with her. They _were_ once close friends, and it upset her that a stupid birthday gift (and her leaving for good and not replying to any of his e-mails) had ruined that. He was so cold to her that if she were a glass of water in his hands, she would be frozen into ice by now.

"I am simply educating your children to ensure that even at an early age they will at least be knowledgable." Sheldon snarked at her, which further proved Penny's point. She had a good relationship with all of them—even Howard—and it was only Sheldon who outright refused to let her into his life. "You should be thanking me for doing such a generous act of developing your children's mind for free! By the time they return to you, they will be well versed with the world as they know it. My involvement might even save them from the fiery depths of community college, and lead them to something a bit more respectable—like Princeton, even though it's not a real school."

Leonard turned towards his roommate, a small frown on his face. "What do you mean Princeton isn't a real school? It's one of the most prestigious schools out there!"

Sheldon chortled, "keep telling yourself that and you might just believe it."

"Wat Sedon say?" Andy asked, curiously listening to Sheldon's speech. "Mommy, wat pis... piston?"

"_Pinston_," Maddie corrected, shaking her head at her twin. "Sedon say pinston. Mommy, wat pinston?"

"Uh, it's where Uncle Leonard went to college. It's a good school," Penny explained, unsure of how to tell toddlers what Princeton was. "Maybe one day both of you can go there, too."

"Penny!" Sheldon interrupted, breaking his discussion about colleges with Leonard. "If you will encourage your children about academics, at least aim high!" There was a loud, offended 'hey' from Leonard, which he ignored. "Although I am certain that your progenies—who resemble you quite strikingly—will _not_ get into a school as prestigious and well-respected as Harvard, I am sure that with enough influence from me, will be able to _at least_ get into Princeton. However, I can't assure you that they will gain as much success as I have attained, but they have a good shot at at least getting a fourth of it."

Maddie scrunched her face in determination as she tried to process what Sheldon had said. She tapped on Sheldon's arm, holding up four fingers. "Foh?"

"Very good, Maddie!" Sheldon cheered, genuinely impressed that the toddler had managed to understand a word from his rant. He placed a hand on her head, gently patting it as the toddler grinned happily. Maybe, he could give her a chocolate as a reward; like he did to their mother many years ago...

"Andy do foh, too!" Andy piped in, raising a hand with four fingers up at Sheldon. "See? Foh! Foh fingahs!" Maddie's smile dropped, turning into a deep frown as she turned to her twin brother. Leonard shuddered again, the simple facial expression reminded him of someone... _close._ "Andy! You no do foh!" She stuck a finger at him in disapproval, "Andy no good!" The male twin gasped, his eyes narrowing. "Andy good!"

"This might take a while," Penny groaned as she watched her twins argue in front of the screen. The twins fought over the simplest things, and both did not like it when the other was praised, and one was not. That usually led to a long fight that was full of rambling and hard-to-decipher baby talk. They had once fought for an hour about cookies; and she was sure that they didn't get it from _her_ side of the family. "So... What do you guys plan on doing about this death trap apartment of yours?"

Leonard raised his eyebrows, turning to Sheldon who was staring at the screen. "Uh, well, since Howard's invention didn't work, I guess we'll just get the baby proofing things tomorrow. It's almost time for their nap."

"If you call tomorrow, you might be able to harass Wolowitz for doing a horrible job of protecting your progenies." Sheldon added dully, "although I am against changing the apartment just for the sake of your uninvited children's safety, I must digress as Leonard will do it anyway, right Leonard?"

Penny pursed her lips at the annoying physicist who was smugly smirking at her through a screen. One day, the irony of all of this would hit him right in the face and she would make sure that she would be the one to hit him with it. Stupid Leonard and his stupid plan; she wouldn't have to endure this if he didn't push the idea on her. If the screen wasn't there to stop her, she would really have socked Sheldon by now, regardless of the repercussions. "Leonard, just make sure that you make your apartment safer than safe itself." The experimental physicist nodded quietly, frightened at Penny's angry tone. "And _you_ Sheldon! You better act nicely or else I _will_ go junior rodeo on you!"

"What do you mean, _me_?" Sheldon hissed from his spot, getting the fighting twins' attention. "Penny, may I remind you that I _did not_ in any way agree to this arrangement. I also do not have any intention of having anything to do with your progenies with some random man, and will not allow you to reprimand, butcher and threaten me on something I have no responsibility of! These are _your_ children, _not_ mine, please remember that when you plan on blaming me for something that I did not do."

There was a pause of silence; the twins stared up at Sheldon in fear, Leonard was at a loss for words and Penny was struck by pure disbelief.

With a snarl, Penny snapped out of her trance and frowned at Sheldon. A spot on her hip suddenly hurt—one where a set of scars used to be. "I'm not even going to take that from you, Sheldon. Do what I say and I'll talk to you guys tomorrow."

"Penny, wait—" Leonard called; Sheldon had gone too far. "No Leonard, it's okay, I'm a grown woman and am an actress who gets criticize for everything I do. A little trash talk from Sheldon isn't going to bring me down; he's done worse. Goodnight, twins." Andy and Maddie tore their gazes from the rigid man, and turned to their mother to wave at her. "Night, night mommy." Penny gave her twins a small smile before logging off the video chat.

"Sheldon! That was going too far!" Leonard growled at his roommate who sat at his spot, with a bored expression. If he could just tell him... Sheldon was just impossible. "You're not supposed to insult Penny like that—you don't know what she went through as a single mother! She doesn't deserve that, so call her up and apologize!"

Sheldon blinked at Leonard, calmly replying, "I'm not saying that I fully understand what she supposedly went through as a mother, what I'm saying is that I do not have any reason or responsibility to even care for these children. I had no intention of insulting her, as you so kindly pointed out, I am merely pointing out the facts. Why should I apologize for being honest with her? Does she not at least deserve our honesty?"

Leonard shook his head at his roommate; he was so unbelievable. Penny did not deserve the recent flak that Sheldon was giving her. The blonde had gone through a lot in the almost two years that she disappeared; with her pregnancy and being a single mother—Sheldon needed to understand that. He really felt bad for his former neighbor and girlfriend; she could probably take criticism from unknown people, but he was sure that criticism from Sheldon was what she couldn't handle. He could see the tears forming in her eyes after Sheldon insulted her, and if Sheldon wasn't a _tiny bit_ stronger than him, he would have punched him. But Sheldon would probably be able to dodge it, so he'd just punish him in a different way. "If you don't apologize to Penny, I will make sure that you won't be able to go to the dentist on Sunday!"

Sheldon crossed his arm, "alright, I'll just take the bus."

"The bus? But the bus is dirty and unsanitary and just imagine all the different germs that the passengers bring. Even your bus pants won't save you from _all those germs_." Leonard pointed out, strongly emphasizing the word _germs_. Sheldon's face started to twitch, and Leonard knew that he had gotten to him. There were only three things that could get Sheldon to do something; blackmail via germs, blackmail via his mother, and blackmail via his Meemaw. "Fine. I'll apologize to Penny," Leonard mentally cheered and hoped that this gesture would finally patch things between the two. "But I'll do it tomorrow. After we buy those infant protector guards that Penny requested."

Leonard furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, "I thought that you wanted nothing to do with the twins?"

Sheldon nodded as he stood up, making his way to the kitchen. "That is true, however, we all know that you can't function without me, and those children can't tell left from right. My presence shall ensure that the items you buy will be tried and tested." He pulled a bottle of water from the fridge, and smirked at his roommate. "And don't forget to call Wolowitz and Koothrapali to tag along."

Leonard just stared at his roommate, uncertain of what he was supposed to say, then sighed. He could hear the twins whispering to each other about how they were going out tomorrow and he could only guess on what hidden agenda Sheldon had.

Sheldon _rarely_ did anything voluntarily; there was always a catch. What it was, however, he'd have to find out.

* * *

"Ooh! Look at how cute that would be if we got that for the twins!" Raj chirped as he stepped closer to a lamp in the shape of a giraffe. "That would look great in the apartment!"

Leonard and Howard each pushed a cart, a twin sitting comfortably on each, as Raj and Sheldon scanned for the necessary items in the Sheldon approved store. Sheldon had spent an hour filtering through the hundreds of stores that sold kids furniture, looking for one that was 'good enough.' It was Raj who insisted that the best furniture stores were in Los Angeles, as that was where the 'celebrities' shopped, which meant that the stores were the best, especially as Penny was a celebrity. They had all originally gone against the idea, but Raj had shown Sheldon that the store had various themed items—_superhero items_, and that convinced him to shop there.

"Raj, we're only here for safety items, not to furnish their own room," Sheldon reminded, eyeing a lamp that was shaped like a monkey. "Although, this might be efficient for them." He turned around to face the twins, who were watching him closely, and lifted the lamp for them to see. "What do you think, children? Wouldn't this be nice?"

Maddie shook her head and pointed to the bear shaped lamp on the display. "Pooh! Maddie want Pooh, peas!"

Sheldon frowned, sending the toddler a judgmental look before placing the lamp back on the shelf. Not only did she want a _bear_ shaped one, but referred to it as 'Pooh.' Did Penny ever teach her children anything useful? "It's not a _Pooh_, it's a bear. But what can you expect from gullible infants?"

"No Pooh?" The toddler innocently asked, and Sheldon sneered, "no, we will not be getting that horrendous animal. Now let's carry on, gentlemen."

Leonard scowled as his roommate walked away, and noticed how Maddie's face scrunched up in disappointment. The twins always wanted Sheldon's attention, and it affected them whenever he ignored them. Sheldon literally exerted zero effort in trying to get to know the twins; all he did was silently observe them with a critical eye, and reference the e-mail that Penny sent. That was it. When it came to the twins, Leonard wasn't sure if Sheldon could be anymore clueless when it came to them. Leonard could admit that it was hard to deal with children, and he knew better than anyone else that it was difficult to get used to assessing children's needs and wants, but Sheldon was going way off in the deep end, here. He wasn't even approaching them with a hint of sensitivity. No, he dealt with them as though they were nuisances, and inanimate objects. It even took an hour of arguing just to get him to stop calling the twins as brats! He wouldn't even speak to them, at all. The other day; the twins—bless them—being the friendly and happy souls that they were, had attempted to come over and show Sheldon the clay sculptures they each made. They had both approached him at his spot, holding up their masterpieces, and Leonard knew by the look on the twins' face that they were just dying for Sheldon to see their creation, and see him be proud of what they made.

But all their temporary guardian had done was fix them with a blank look, and told Leonard that the 'brats' seemed to want something. Without another word, he had gotten up, and moved to his desk. This had earned him a glare from both Raj and Howard, who were playing HALO, a hurt look from both of the twins, and a mere shake of the head from Leonard. How could he try and tell him how to deal with the twins, when he didn't even _want_ to deal with the twins? That was another trigger for him to tell Sheldon the truth, but restrained himself. All in due time, he reminded himself each time Sheldon ignored the twins who just wanted to get close to him. No matter how much his stubborn roommate ignored the twins, the two innocent, cheerful and friendly toddlers seemed to still strive to get to know him better. Sheldon was lucky that they were such good kids, if it had been him, he would've shot him with a laser by now.

Raj grabbed the bear lamp from the shelf, and placed it in the cart. Though he couldn't speak to women unrelated to him, he found it surprising that he never had trouble talking to Penny's daughter. Aside from Bernadette, Maddie was the only female (that he wasn't related to) that he could talk to without any alcohol, and that made him have a soft spot for the toddler. He didn't love Andy any less, though, he loved both of the munchkins equally and always made it a point to spoil them rotten. There was just something about them that was so lovable; that even Bernadette—who strongly disliked children—fell in love at first sight with them. Although, there was a bet between him and Leonard on whether or not the twins would become insufferably annoying, as there was a fifty percent chance that they would. Thankfully, they weren't _yet_, and they all hoped that they stayed that way. "Don't worry, Maddie, Uncle Raj will get the lamp for you." He grabbed the monkey lamp and placed it in the cart where Andy sat, "and this one is for you, Andy. Don't mind Sheldon, he's just a gigantic nincompoop."

Andy furrowed his eyebrows, trying to repeat the word Raj used. "Nicu-nico... nicopup? Wat nicopup?" He tilted his head up at Leonard who was shaking his head while Howard hissed at Raj, "thanks for teaching them something important, Raj!" The engineer turned to the toddler in front of him, "that's a bad word, Andy—well, it's not but don't use it. Don't use it till you're older." He placed a hand on Andy's head, ruffling his hair as Sheldon stormed towards them.

"Why weren't you following me?" The theoretical physicist asked before noticing the animal lamps in the carts. "And why are those, there?" Raj opened his mouth to speak, but Sheldon interrupted him by holding a hand up, then turned to Maddie. "Didn't I say that we're not getting that? What part of _no_ did you fail to understand?"

Maddie blinked, staring at the grumpy man in front of her. "No Pooh," she answered, pointing a finger at Raj, "Uncah Waj put. Maddie no want," she turned to her brother who was nodding vigorously, waving his arms animatedly. "Maddie no want! Uncah Waj say Sedon nicopup!" Andy dramatically said, and Raj felt the color drain from his face as Sheldon crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed. "Correct me if I'm wrong—and I'm not—but does Andy mean, _nincompoop_?"

Both of the twins nodded, and Howard and Leonard mentally noted that they had absolutely nothing to do with this mess.

"I just wanted to get Maddie the lamp! And of course, I had to get Andy one! I'm going to pay for it, and I didn't mean nincompoop..." Raj stammered nervously, waiting for Sheldon to announce the punishment he would give him. The last time he got Sheldon mad, his limited edition, collector's item Jon Snow cutout—which had been at their office for secret reasons—received a dent shaped in the foot size of someone crazy. Which was why he was relieved when Sheldon finally got a new office, and he was now free to do as he pleased with Sheldon's old one—like placing the life-sized Daenerys cutout near the door. However, though it was technically _his_ office now, Sheldon was still the one who got a say in what items would get to go in the office. With Sheldon angered, Raj's motion to reconsider Sheldon's refusal of allowing him to put a popcorn machine in the office would have to wait.

"Although my brain is ordering to give you a far worse punishment than I've come up with, I decided to not listen, as there are children present." Sheldon gestured to the twins, then placed his hands behind his back, "so, instead, I will simply tell Penny that you are spoiling her children rotten. Now, let's get back to business, shall we?" He snapped his fingers, jerking a thumb over his shoulder then spun around to continue walking.

Raj sighed, quickly trailing after Sheldon. "Damn, Penny is so going to kill me."

"Language, Raj, Penny's going to make your death a bit more painful if they learn to swear." Leonard reminded as Sheldon grabbed an armful of wall guards, outlet covers and latches, carelessly dumping them into the cart. His roommate pulled the checklist from his pocket, and Leonard heard the twins conversing on how Sheldon reminded them of Joe and Steve from Blue's Clues. "We still need one of those disgustingly bright playpens, something for them to sleep on that won't result in blunt head force trauma caused by falling off of Leonard's bed, and highchairs." Sheldon frowned at the list, then at the various cribs displayed around the store. "We need something short term, plus, I highly doubt that they would still need a crib."

"Dude!" Raj yelped, his eyes wide, causing the other three men to jump, "look at that nursery set, it's adorable!" He approached the display bedroom, gesturing for them to come over.

Sheldon stared at the set, questioning why Raj was so excited over it. The walls were white with an accent of light brown, which seemed a bit dark for him. The crib was plain white, with quilt like sheets that had the same color scheme with the mobile above it. He wanted something short term, as the brats were not staying at their apartment for long. And if they were going for something long term, he would have gone for the superhero crib set, but those were too bulky. He would have preferred simply pulling Leonard's bed apart, and simply leaving the mattress on the floor, but none of them had enough strength to do the heavy lifting. Cribs and toddler beds were meant for a child's room, not for a temporary living space. Plus, the toddler beds were either in the shape of girlish, inane and cheaply made castle, and malformed plastic cars. None were in the shape of the Batmobile, or the Enterprise, or the Deathstar, or the telephone booth from Dr. Who, and that simply would not do.

"What exactly is 'adorable' about it?" He asked, eyeing the eyesore of a supposed children's bedroom. The Indian man scoffed, standing beside a mural of a cloud and the sun, "Look at how cute this is! It is definitely my ideal nursery, if you ask me!"

Leonard turned the cart so that Maddie cold see the room, and Howard did the same for Andy. "What do you think twins, do you want a crib?"

"Maddie not baby!"

"Andy not baby!"

Howard chuckled, turning the cart back and wheeling it to the next display. "Sorry Raj, they didn't ask you." Sheldon stepped of the low platform, scowling at the various other nursery sets. "Is there anything here that applies to temporary lodging only?"

"I don't think there's a category for that," Leonard commented, grabbing a colorful playpen that was displayed and placed it in the cart. "But look, you can cross playpen off." Sheldon nodded, crossing off the item on the list. "Highchair and bed are the only ones left. Any ideas?"

"Hmm... There has to be something a bit more convenient," Howard murmured, tapping a finger on his chin as he thought. "I got it!" The engineer spun around, scanning the aisles before disappearing, and reappearing from one. He had a bunch of attachable bars in his arms and a proud grin on his face. "Is this considered as short term?" Leonard took one of the bars encased in plastic and rotated it in his hands. "It's attachable, and can be easily removed for when they leave. It can prevent any incidents of rolling off the bed, and isn't metal. Howard, this is brilliant!" Sheldon snatched the bar from his hands and eyed it. "Leonard's observations seem to be correct..." He placed the bar into the cart and gave Howard an impressed smile. "Well done, Howard. This is truly a great idea."

Howard grinned, surprised and happy at one of the rare occurrences that Sheldon complimented him. "Thanks! I just remembered that there was something like that, and that it would work." He watched as Sheldon crossed it off the list, "so, just highchairs left, huh?"

Andy squirmed in his seat, frowning at the mention of the chair. "Andy no want eye-chah!" Sheldon raised an eyebrow, peering at him from the list. "But that's not really up to you, now is it?" The toddler looked down, and then a happy squeal captured Sheldon's attention, followed by a tug on the sleeve of his windbreaker. Maddie wanted to say something. "And what are your thoughts on a highchair?"

She grinned, then pointed a finger towards the opposite direction.

Raj was grinning widely as he scurried towards them, one arm struggling to carry a tiny couch, and the other hand dragging one across the floor. "_Dude_! Look what I found—isn't it amazing?" He stopped in front of the carts, placing one couch on each. "Think about it, two highchairs have no space in the apartment, and if we got them booster seats, we'd need a table," Raj excitedly explained as the three men listened to him, "and Sheldon doesn't want to get a table. But, I saw this, and I remembered that all of us eat at the couch! Now here's one for each of them, _and_," he unfolded the foam and transforming it to a tiny bed, "for nap time! What do you think? It's pretty cool, and it's easy to move around, too!"

Sheldon poked his finger at the couch, pressing on the foam and sighing. "It pains me to admit it but, yes, this is perfect as a substitute for a highchair." He frowned as his three friends cheered happily. Why they were so happy, he didn't know, but he was glad that the task was finished. Now, he didn't have to worry about any snarky comments that Penny would give him if their apartment was safe for her uninvited brats.

Shopping list and safety precautions done, there was still one thing he had to do that bothered him heavily.

Apologizing to Penny.

* * *

"—and we got corner guards and outlet covers everywhere," Leonard turned the laptop to show Penny the new changes. "Then over here," he walked towards the couch, tilting the screen for her to see, "is their playpen, and we placed baby gates at the front door, and the hall. Plus, Howard invented a special button for the twins' door that would help them open it if ever they had to go to the bathroom."

He returned to the sofa, placing the laptop on the coffee table and turning it to show the twins on their respective couch. Andy's was green with tiny dinosaurs spread across the fabric, and Maddie's was of light blue with white patterned squares and a tiny smiling cartoon girl every now and then. It was originally pink, but the toddler had gone affronted and angrily demanded a different one be bought. She obviously did not inherit her mother's color preference, and temper. Their mother at least waited patiently before finally erupting like a volcano. "And look! Raj found toddler sized couches for them to sit on!"

Maddie stood from her couch, toddling over to the laptop. "Mommy! Uncah Waj got Maddie and Andy a ouch!"

"An _ouch_?" Penny repeated curiously as Andy got up from his chair to stand beside his twin.

"She means _couch_, but it isn't surprising to hear that everything that comes out of your children's mouths are all mispronounced and incoherent." Sheldon corrected from his desk, and Penny's mood suddenly soured. There was nothing like hearing Sheldon's condescending voice to end a tiring day full of re-shoots and near set-accidents. She loved shooting the movie, and loved strolling around Paris as the production team set up the next scene; but damn, shooting an action movie was exhausting. She had to learn some martial arts for her scenes where she had to defend herself, she had to learn how to drive fast and sharp for the chase scenes where she had forgotten to say no to doing her own stunts, plus, she had to restrain herself from quitting and flying back to California to see her twins. She missed her children so, so, _so_ much that she was rethinking the job. She wanted to see them, spend time with them, hug them—but she couldn't because she had finally got this far, and it would be stupid to quit.

Two months were short, but also too long to be apart from her children. They only had two months to wrap up all of the scenes in France, then they'd return to California to shoot the rest of the movie. She didn't enjoy the rush to finish half of the movie, or the wake up call at four in the morning to start shooting, but it was exhilarating in it's own way. This was her first movie, and so everything she did gave her an adrenaline rush. She loved the cast—it was so awesome to work with the crème de la crème—and the hype her name was getting for being involved in one of the most anticipated movies. Cause really, this project was doing her reputation wonders; everyone who didn't watch her show started to watch her show just to see who she was, and even the negativity gave her name a gigantic buzz. It was safe to say that the social media talked about her nineteen-seven—she'd love it to upgrade to twenty-four seven, but fame was a tricky road, and she'd take what she could get.

The one thing she looked forward to the most—after twenty-two hours straight of taping and training—was seeing, hearing and talking to the greatest thing that happened to her life, and even Sheldon couldn't ruin that.

"Oh, Sheldon, don't you just love it when no one cares?" Penny quipped as Sheldon made his way to his spot. "Yes, joke about it now, but you'll be the first one to thank me when your children learn something important." He heard a growl coming from the laptop, then a hiss from Leonard. "I think you're forgetting something _important_, Sheldon," his bespectacled roommate said, turning the laptop away from the twins, effectively interrupting the chorus of confusing babbling. "Sorry kids, Sheldon has to say something to your mother."

"Sedon talk to mommy?" Andy asked with interest, and Leonard nodded causing the twins' eyes to twinkle in delight.

Sheldon crossed his arms, ignoring the conversation between Leonard and the twins about his relationship with the older blonde, and stared at the image of Penny mirroring the frown on his face. There was no easy way to do it, and he found himself going back on what he said, if it weren't for the odd sensation his teeth gave him. One day, he would surely find a way to learn how to drive; then, Leonard would never be able to threaten him with the concept of riding the germ riddled bus. "Penny, it has come to my realization that what I had told you yesterday was beyond offensive, and apparently, you did not deserve any of it." Penny still looked affronted, and he continued. "I had no intention of ever hurting your feelings and am truly sorry for implying that you do not know who the twins' father is, and for," he turned to the twins, "cover your ears." The twins nodded, both clapping their hands over their ears. "And for implying that you were some sort of whore, as well as treating you as if you were a criminal. Though a part of me vehemently disagrees, I am now declaring you _not_ banned from this apartment, and am placing you in a neutral zone than an enemy zone."

"Which means that...?" Penny drawled, slightly confused on what the hell Sheldon was talking about. Sheldon resisted the urge to roll his eyes; Penny would always be Penny. "I no longer see you as an enemy, and a potential threat to my person. Though, please do bear in mind that I do not consider you as a friend, but as a mere newly met acquaintance." Leonard scooted over to Sheldon, sending Penny a big grin of pride, that confused Penny even more. "It means that you are no longer viewed with any ill judgement. Congratulations, Penny, you're now friends with Sheldon!"

There was a beat of a minute before someone spoke; it was Maddie.

"Mommy and Sedon fends?" Maddie had asked, toddling over to the laptop and turning to Sheldon, who furrowed his eyebrows. "You and mommy fends, now?" Sheldon blinked at the hope emanating from the infant in front of him, then glanced at the screen where Penny had an indecisive look, as if she was heavily assessing the situation. A second later, Andy moved from his spot at their couches, and stood beside his twin sister, placing a tiny hand on his knee. There was an urge to swat it away, but Penny was watching. "Andy want mommy and Sedon be fends!" The male brat announced, a grin spreading across his face.

Sheldon stuck his chin out, ignoring both of the twins. "No, we are not friends," he firmly said, and saw the glee fall from both of the toddlers' faces. Like their mother, they had to accept the cold hard truth. He wasn't going to let Penny back into his life so easily as she had disregarded him in hers. Like he said, there was no easy way to do this, and no amount of Leonard's blackmails and Penny's threats would—

"Sedon no wike mommy," Andy murmured in between trembling breaths, then turned to his sister whose face was twisting in anguish. Sheldon's eyes widened in horror as both of their lips started to quiver, and profound tears came spilling out as they cried. He didn't understand what caused them to cry, and started to panic. Was it because they had finally realized how utterly superior he really was and that they never had a chance of attaining such success? Was it because they suddenly decided that their couches were not to their gullible tastes? Or was it because he said that Penny wasn't his... friend.

But he couldn't lie!

But the tears were causing him great distress! And the pitiful wailing coming from both of them and the snarls of anger from their mother were unnerving him!

"Uh, no," Sheldon cleared his throat, waving his hands to get the sobbing infants' attention. "Well, uh, what I meant was that we aren't _friends_, friends, but more like acquaintance typed friends!" Leonard raised an eyebrow at Sheldon's stammering, but allowed him to continue, as the explanation was causing both the twins and Penny to stop wailing. The twins in disappointment, and Penny in anger at Sheldon causing her children to cry. "There is no need to cry," Sheldon continued, awkwardly placing his hands on both of the twins heads and patting them gently. "I, uh, like your mother, no worries. Please stop crying." There was a broken quality—pleading, even—in Sheldon's voice, and Leonard briefly wondered why. "I'm friends with your mother, okay?"

Both happy with the clarification; the tears instantly cleared and Sheldon cursed their hidden ability of acting well.

Maddie twisted her body to face the laptop, and Penny shook her head at her twins' mischief. They were great at crying to get what they wanted. She didn't know if she should be proud that her children were great actors, or to get mad at whoever taught them the trick. "Mommy! Sedon say you fends! Mommy happy now?" She winced at the happiness in her daughter's eyes, and decided against telling her that she really _wasn't_ friends with their beloved _Sedon_. "Uh, sure. I guess I'm happy that me and Sheldon are friends again." The twins both clapped their hands in delight, and Leonard gave out a sigh of relief. "So, Sheldon, we're friends again?"

The physicist's mouth curled in distaste, "yeah, sure, we're friends." Then his expression changed, "did you know that Koothrappali is spoiling your children to an overwhelming extent?"

Penny held back a grin as Sheldon tattled on Raj, who she definitely needed to hogtie. Even if Sheldon was just lying to get her kids to stop crying, he _did_ say that she was now in the 'neutral' zone. That was way better than whatever zone he had originally placed her in, and considered this as progress. Progress at getting Sheldon to at least be on speaking terms with her. Because a friend was still a friend, and even if he didn't want her as a friend, she still wanted him back.

She was going to weasel herself back into his life, whether he liked it or not.


	3. The Takeover 1 - It's Easy

**Also, please note that, though the twins can talk, they have trouble pronouncing the letters L and R. Sometimes, the R's are replaced with H or W (i.e. Bark **— **Bahk; Raj **— **Waj) and they usually ignore the letter L, but sometimes, they use the letter W. If this confuses you, literally just pronounce the broken down words.**

**To Leanne: Oh it was nothing! I personally don't think that Sheldon loves kids, and would quickly love kids he didn't even know. But I think he has the room to change, and that he can learn to like them. *wink* Leonard's story and how he knows will be revealed at about chapter eleven or twelve, and everything else will be revealed after that. There will be more Shenny progress in the future chapters :-D And thanks!**

* * *

**Monday; **uncounted start of task / 7 days until end of task.

* * *

Andy watched curiously as Sheldon carefully attached a Lego block to the big circle thingy. He had been constructing the circle thing for hours now and it only piqued both of the twins' interests.

They hadn't missed a single block getting attached.

"Sedon," Maddie spoke up from the opposite side of the coffee table, "wat dat?"

Sheldon peered down from the _thing_, and stared at the two toddlers excitedly watching him from across the table. "It's a Lego Death Star that I bought for my birthday. I'm trying to achieve the task of finishing it before next week and attempt to prove Raj wrong that I _can_ finish it within a week." Two pairs of blue eyes continued to stare at him, "this is very important as both my Hulk hands and my Green Lantern lamp—which he had given me in exchange for being his wingman—are at stake. So, please stop bothering me." He gave them a forced smile, then returned to building the Death Star. There was no way he was going to give his favorite gifts back.

Maddie nodded, and Andy frowned. "Sedon wat a deet stah?"

"_Det_ stah!" His twin corrected, pointing to the circle thing—the 'det stah' and shaked her head in disapproval. "Andy! Dats a det stah!"

With a huff, Sheldon paused (again) in building and sighed. "The Death Star is from Star Wars and is a space station slash super-weapon that Darth Vader, a.k.a. Anakin Skywalker, built after he crossed over to the dark side." The twins nodded, a soft 'oh' falling from their lips. "If you have any more questions, speak now or hold your peace until I finish this." There was a short pause—which Sheldon hoped would be the end of the discussion—then Andy spoke again, "Who An-uh-kin? Who Dat Bedah?"

"Does your mother ever teach you anything?" Sheldon rhetorically asked as both of the toddlers shrugged. "Your mother could have at least taught you on her limited knowledge of one the greatest science fiction works of all time; especially as we had already bought her her own set of the entire series!" He shook his head at the thought, pursing his lips at their former neighbor's incompetence. No matter, he would be the one who would enlighten these simpletons' mind with all of the knowledge they would ever need. Leave it to Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper to ensure that the future generation will at least be able to contribute a minuscule of knowledge while his own intellectually gifted overlord children guided humanity into a brighter tomorrow. Maybe his own children could make use of these two simpletons if they proved to be useful when the time comes. They could be the engineers of the future, forced to do anything his overlord children wants them to do. Penny should really thanks him for even allowing her children a chance of a wonderful future as his future children's slaves.

"Darth Vader and Anakin are the same person, he just used a pseudo name to embrace his newfound darkness."

Maddie placed a finger on her chin, scrunching her face in concentration. "An-uh-kin and Dat Bedah same?" Sheldon nodded, curious to see where this would go. "Wike mommy and Peh-nee same?" He had to give it to this one; she was proving herself worthy of getting his praise. Though this one had limited comments compared to her twin, when she did speak, her comments were apt and logical. The male one wasn't too gullible as he had originally thought—and that heavily pained him to admit—and had even gained his respect in his own way. Whereas Maddie was logical, though obviously lacking in the attention department, Andy was curious and ready to experience the world, as Raj would say. Zippy always asked questions and was keen to learn, sometimes even retaining some of the information, and Sully always had a logical follow up to the questions her twin posed.

To keep it simple, they had earned a _little_ respect from him.

Andy's eye widened as Sheldon opened his mouth to praise his twin, and vigorously waved a hand at him. "Andy know too! Ayn Man and Toh-nee Stahk!"

Sheldon would be lying if he said that he wasn't shocked at what Zippy said. The kid's curiosity and insistent asking on 'who dat' and 'wat dat' during the entirety of them watching Iron Man 2 had finally paid off. The twins had only been staying at their apartment for a week and a day, and yet his intelligence had already rubbed off on them.

Penny should thank him for the generous act.

"Well done!" He adulated, clapping his hands in delight. "I can't believe both of you managed to see the connection." The two grinned proudly at him and this may have been the first time that he didn't find it annoying for them to do so. He believed that credit should be given where credit was due. "You might not be as dumb as I thought you were; kudos." He gave them one small smile before returning to his Legos, as Leonard entered the apartment, balancing a bag of groceries and a bag of takeout in his arms. Howard and Raj shortly followed, carrying their own bags of groceries in their arms.

Leonard wobbled halfway to the coffee table, shifting the grocery bag. "Hey, Sheldon could you please help us with these?"

"I'd love to, but I'm afraid I'm busy," Sheldon replied as he checked the guide then attached another Lego.

Howard gently dropped his grocery bag on the floor, then helped Leonard with the bag of takeout and placed it on the table. "You're not busy, you're just _playing_." He gestured for Sheldon to move the Lego model, causing the physicist to groan. "I can be busy playing, for your information." Sheldon said as he carefully lifted the model, placing it on top of his desk. "And I was busy preventing my brain from winning and forcing me to destroy this model out of pure frustration." He eyed his work, proud at what he had accomplished, then turned to watch Leonard taking out the groceries one by one. "You don't understand how exasperating and utterly tiring that is. Ask the children, they saw how hard I'm working." The twins nodded, taking a seat at their respective couches, and Sheldon returned to his spot.

"Oh gee, I bet it's way more exhausting than taking care of twins and a semi-grown up man!" Leonard sarcastically said, "god, Sheldon, I don't understand how you even have the audacity to say that you're tired when you don't even do anything here!"

Sheldon frowned in indignation; obviously, there was a nerve that had been touched. "Excuse me, but I am offended by your choice of words. Didn't you swear that you would take complete and utter responsibility over all of the twins' wants and needs as they are _your_ guest? Must I take out my copy of the temporary roommate agreement to further solidify my stance and counter your unnecessary whining?"

A food container was carelessly dropped in front of him in response.

"I know I promised to take care of them, but my vacation days are running out," Leonard wearily explained, placing his laptop on a chair in front of the tv before preparing the twins' dinner. "The next fundraiser isn't until November, and until then, I can't promise President Siebert any more donations for the department. A week was the longest he could give me, and I had to use 'family emergency' to gain another two days. I'm required to get back to work by tomorrow, and I'm still trying to think of what to do."

Raj nodded in understanding, passing Howard his food container. "I'd love to volunteer to take care of the twins, but I used up my vacation days for when I took that three day, two nights stay at Palm Springs." Howard raised an eyebrow at him, and Raj simply shrugged. "It was definitely worth it, even if I couldn't tell the masseur where it hurts since she was a girl. But I made sure that the next massage I got was from a guy, just so I could point out the cricks."

"I'm just going to cut him and save us from the misery of imagining that," Howard said, flinching at the sight of Raj getting a massage. "I'd say get my mom to look after them, but I'd only suggest that if you want them to return to Penny about thirty pounds heavier." He spread his arms out to further emphasize the size of the twins after staying with his mother, "and we all know that Penny wouldn't want that. Sheldon, why don't you watch the twins for a while? I heard from HR that you have at least two weeks of vacation days waiting to be abused."

"Leonard and I already talked about that," Sheldon commented, furtively watching as Leonard fixed the twins' dinner. Macaroni and cheese that did not have any preservatives, and was preferably home-cooked. That was one of the guidelines that Penny gave regarding the twins' food; everything had to be _real_ food. Luckily, Raj found a restaurant that served mac n' cheese, as well as other pasta variants that Penny recommended with baby food on the side, and Leonard had started to buy the twins' meals there. Penny had specified that they could only give them their takeout when it wasn't spicy and was soft enough for them to eat. That was the reason why they couldn't just give them Mi Krob or Pad Thai, and why the restaurant owner now gave them free dessert—crème brûlée—whenever they stopped by. The restaurant was also now his Tuesday burger joint (it was even better than his former order), as he refused to ever step inside a Cheesecake Factory ever again. "My refusal still stands, and can we please cut the banal chit chat? The food is getting cold." Sheldon lifted the lid of his food container, and Leonard readied himself for his roommate's regular line of questioning.

"Did you remember to ask for the chicken with broccoli to be diced, not shredded, even though the menu description specifies shredded?"

"Yes."

"Brown rice, not white?"

"Yes."

"Did you stop at the Korean grocery and get the good, hot mustard?"

"Yes."

"Remarkable, you finally got it right," Sheldon leaned over to pick up his dinner, glancing at the twins who were watching in awe. "And that's how you ensure that your food is perfect."

Howard scoffed, imitating Sheldon, "And that's how you act crazy."

"Hey, check if Penny's online," Raj suggested, pointing his fork at the laptop in front, "it's about four in the morning there, she's probably up to prepare for shooting." The astrophysicist looked at Sheldon pointedly, and he could do nothing but stand up. "Alright, but if this delay causes my food's temperature to drop, you will all suffer the consequences." He made his way towards the front, scowling down at Leonard's laptop, and at the list of contacts on his Skype account. Penny was listed as one of them, and Sheldon's scowl only deepened. When Penny had left two years and four months ago, she had removed all of them from all of her social networking accounts. Though he knew that Penny had accepted Leonard back into Skype—they always called Penny via Leonard's laptop—it irked him that she had still not accepted his invitation. He was trying to be the bigger man, and be the one to at least try to accommodate her into his life. As expected, she ignored the invitation, and he hoped that she knew that this was not helping in getting her back into his good graces.

He clicked the call button—which Penny answered—but was met by the plain wall of either her hotel room or trailer.

"I think she has fallen back to sleep," Sheldon informed them as he returned to his spot. "But the call has started." He placed a piece of chicken in his mouth and grinned; it was still at his preferred temperature.

Maddie curiously stared at her bowl of mac n' cheese, momentarily ignoring the second bowl which contained her favorite; mashed bananas. She lifted a finger, abandoning her monkey shaped spork, poking it into the yellow substance then bringing it to her mouth. She grimaced at the taste, exclaiming, "ick!"

"Ick?" Leonard repeated, lowering his container as Andy did the same. "What do you mean, ick?"

Andy lifted his bowl towards Howard, "Tase."

The engineer carefully took the bowl and ate a spoonful. "It's a bit salty," he said once he'd had a gulp of water, "did you forget to tell them to water it down a bit? You know that the cheese gets a bit salty sometimes."

Leonard paled as both of the twins pushed their bowls away, "I did! I always remind them that it's for toddlers and that the cheese might be a bit too strong for them."

"Oh Leonard, just admit that you once again, have failed."

"Failed… what exactly are you implying Sheldon?" Leonard narrowed his eyes at Sheldon. Howard sent Raj a look, telling him not to interfere. Sheldon-Leonard fights were always ugly, and the last time they got involved, they were forced to take sides. Raj took Sheldon's of course, as he was kind of his boss, and Howard took Leonard's. Aside from the taking sides bit, the two roommates' fights were always entertaining to watch, and they'd been around long enough to know that missing one would be a loss. The fights were _that_ funny.

"Well, like I said, you failed, again. Just declare that you fail at getting the right food," Sheldon dipped a strip of chicken in the sauce and frowned once he took a bite of it. "This mustard isn't that spicy."

"What do you mean it wasn't spicy—I got that where I always buy it!"

"I give you such easy tasks and yet somehow you always manage to fail at them, Leonard." Sheldon clucked his tongue at his roommate, who was starting to literally produce smoke from his ears.

"EASY TASKS? Do you think taking care of you is easy?" Leonard growled in disbelief; he knew that Sheldon was just being Sheldon, but the past week had been so stressful with him trying to at least work at home, and taking care of the twins _and_ Sheldon that he was about to blow a fuse. He loved the twins, he really did, but when the gods of genetics rolled a dice and it landed on 'picky,' it was enough to rival Sheldon's captiousness. They were usually both very kind and careless babies, but there were times when Maddie got a bit too critical of the food, and would flat out refuse to eat until it was up to her requirements. Andy wasn't as picky, but he had his moments. When he didn't get to do one of his routines on time, and if Maddie got something that he didn't get or wasn't doing the same activity, he would throw a fit and wouldn't calm down until he got what he wanted.

Penny had already taught him how to deal with the kids, and he was slowly learning how to take care of them. Maddie was very critical about food, and all he needed to do was actually _tast__e_ the food before giving it to them. So, yes, he had to eat a couple of baby food that Penny hadn't listed in the approved food list, and he actually found some of them to be okay. If he thought that the food was okay, then he'd let the twins taste it if they liked it. Andy was very strict on his routine on watching Sesame Street and other cartoons in the morning, and would get mad if his twin wasn't there with him. The secret was to just put Maddie in the room, whether she was awake or not, and Andy would be pleased. He didn't understand why Andy needed Maddie to be in the room, but it would be futile to ask a toddler why. He was getting better at taking care of kids, and he was proud of that.

Then there was Sheldon; the other kid he was babysitting.

"Taking care of me?" Sheldon raised an eyebrow, "I hardly think that you are 'taking care' of me. It's more like I'm taking care of you."

Raj saw the look in Leonard's eye and knew that he had snapped. He quickly signaled to Howard who lifted Andy while Raj silently got up to get Maddie. Neither Sheldon nor Leonard noticed that they had got up and silently left the apartment. He didn't want the twins to get traumatized by shouting, or two adult looking people fighting over something they wouldn't even understand.

"Taking care of me?!" Leonard angrily repeated, his temper boiling at an alarming rate. He was so fed up with Sheldon and his arrogant self! "Fine! Let's say that you are taking care of _me_, I've been taking care of the twins ever since they came! Do you think that's easy?"

"Yes, and from the looks of it," Sheldon eyed the laptop screen, he saw some kind of movement, "they're pretty user friendly."

Leonard slammed his container on the coffee table, causing pieces of food to fall off from the intensity. "THAT'S IT! THEY ARE NOT AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE, SHELDON!" Unbeknownst to the two fighting roommates, even at the second floor landing, Howard and Raj heard the shouting, and moved down to the lobby. "IF YOU'RE SO GREAT, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE CARE OF THE TWINS, HUH? CAUSE YOU'RE JUST SO EXCELLENT AT EVERYTHING!"

Sheldon licked his lips, nodding curtly, "Alright then, that seems like a simple enough task." Leonard might think that he couldn't do it, but he could. He was Homo Novus, he was better than all of them, and he could most definitely handle two toddlers. This was another step in his plan of foiling Leonard's imbecilic ploy of getting Penny back. If he succeeds, not only did he get to stop this tomfoolery of babysitting, but he would also prove that he was right. Right that taking care of children would be easy, and that he really did excel at everything. Ha. He could already imagine the look on Leonard's face once he finishes this task with flying colors. He could also already feel the amusement he'd get once Leonard gets all mad and upset that his plans to win Penny back by taking care of her children crashes and burns. "I find no problems with doing so, and agree to takeover for a week. Mostly to prove you wrong."

"Alone," Leonard said the word slowly, his gaze slowly softening at the sound of someone clearing their throat. He sighed, turning towards his laptop, and saw a groggy looking Penny, "Hey Penny, good mo—"

"It's four in the morning and I am not a morning person, Leonard, you don't have to be so loud!" The blonde crankily said, running a hand through her hair, "and why the hell is it so bright?" Penny shielded her eyes with her arm, it seemed like Penny had just woken up.

* * *

**Tuesday;** 6 days until end of task.

* * *

Sheldon watched as Leonard shuffled around the apartment, preparing for his return to work.

"—so I already called President Siebert, and told him that you're going to be using a week of your vacation days."

"And what did he say? I'm sure he was puzzled and upset as to why I won't be gracing the university with my presence." Sheldon said from his desk, checking the email from Penny that Leonard forwarded to him. The twins' schedule could somewhat coincide with his, and he was currently thinking of how to change it.

Leonard closed the closet door, and fixed his jacket. "To be honest, he sounded really happy, and I called in at six a.m. He also said that he's more than willing to allow you that remaining week of vacation days if you want."

Sheldon waved a hand at him, "nonsense. I only need a week to prove that I am right, and you know what it will mean if I'm right." Leonard frowned at him, and he simply smiled, pointing a pen at him. "Not only do I get to ship the twins back to their mother, but I also get your limited edition Batmobile miniature replica!" He grinned at his roommate, who simply shrugged and placed his laptop in his bag. "Well, you're not getting any results until next week. You know what to do, right?"

Leonard waited, and was met by the patented 'you must be stupid to think I can't do it because I excel at everything' head shake. "Of course I do. I still have about an hour before they wake up. Enough time to continue my current research. " Sheldon stared at him. "Aren't you going to leave, yet?"

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving," Leonard said, raising his hands and backing up before making his way towards the door. "Good luck on your first day babysitting. Bye "

Sheldon snorted as the door closed. "Luck. Pfft. Like I'd need luck." He let out a small chuckle as he thought of how many wins he'd get within a week. A signed Silver Surfer surfboard from Raj once he finishes building his Lego Death Star, a limited edition miniature Batmobile replica, and the twins will be out of his metaphorical hair! DC, Marvel, maybe he'd even force Leonard to get him something cool from Dark Horse comics, or from anime/manga. He was going to—metaphorically—wipe the floor with them as Dr. Sheldon Cooper was one hell of a winner. Victory would be sweeter than his mother's first try at baking caramel cake which had too much sugar, too much caramel and was close enough to inducing diabetes to anyone who would eat more than a slice of it. Once the twins were shipped off to France, he would finally be able to conclude his theory on whether or not Leonard was only babysitting Penny's progenies to get back together with her.

He laughed at the thought. Leonard's plans were always so gullible and entertaining—but only when it fails. Which he will.

Although he had an odd connection with Penny's progenies, he still—in no way—liked the thought of them staying with them. Due to the infants temporarily lodging with them, Leonard decided postponing paintball as they couldn't leave the twins all alone in an apartment. He was okay with the thought, but then realized that if the twins were left by themselves, there was a huge possibility that they would play with his action figures. Or worse; they would somehow stumble into his room and would make their way through his comic books! Thousands of dollars worth of comic books tarnished due to an infant scribbling over it via crayons, or tearing it page by page or dribbling on it! It was the only thing that stopped him from leaving the twins and going to work. All he had to do was feed them, turn the channel to either Disney or Nick jr., then lock the door and proceed to the university. It was relatively easy, but so was breaking into his room as Howard had installed a sensor button that would open Leonard's, his and the bathroom's door if the twins ever touched it.

If the children from Rugrats could get lost in a forest due to the adults ignoring them; who could say that it wouldn't happen to the twins? Even if they did somehow survived!

Also, Penny would hogtie him, castrate, punch, beat up and ruthlessly kill them if that would happen. And he still had to; publish his and Raj's work on the connection of String Theory and Dark Matter, publish his work regarding the method for synthesizing a new stable super-heavy element, prove String Theory and win the Nobel Prize. He also had to prove Leonard wrong, prove his theory right and finish the Lego Death Star within six days. Only then can Penny do the aforementioned scenarios to him. In short, he still had a lot to do before Penny could massacre all of them. It would be a shame to be remembered as the guy was killed just because he left someone else's children alone. Scientists don't die that way. They die by getting poisoned by their own discoveries. Or going insane from not discovering anything. Or by getting trampled by adults and children in the audience after receiving the Nobel.

He would be okay with the first and last ways to die.

His trance was broken by the feeling of something hard connecting with the side of his arm again and again. He tried to ignore it as he scrunched his face up, attempting to focus on his work. He had switched from his work on the new element, and was now continuing the grant proposal that he was working on with Barry Kripke for a new fusion reactor. Normally, he would be doing his own proposal, but Gablehouser said that he and Kripke _collaborate_ since the university could only submit one proposal. It was offensive and insulting, but he couldn't do anything other than to comply as his protests proved to be futile. His proposal had to be better than Kripke's—and it was—but he had to make sure that there were no mistakes. There was no room for mistakes, and he wasn't going to allow Kripke the pleasure of even the simplest of errors.

Sheldon continued to ignore it; as he might just have been hallucinating. But as the smacking of an object against his arm continued, he realized that he wasn't hallucinating, and that he wasn't alone. He had momentarily forgotten that he had foolishly fallen into Leonard's trap of getting him to watch over the twins. And since they were the only ones home with him, he assumed that the constant assault on his arm was somehow related to either of the infants.

And sure enough, the moment he turned his head, he saw that Maddie was poking him repeatedly in the arm with the remote control for the television, an annoyed and frustrated look on her face as she attempted to get his attention. Andy was on his tiny couch, watching them curiously and he briefly wondered how long the toddler had tried to get his attention. Maybe she had been saying his name, but he had been drowning everything out to focus on his proposal. With a small huff, he lifted his fingers off of the keyboard and turned his chair to face the infant. They were still wearing their respective Disney themed pajamas (Nemo for Andy and an array of princesses for Maddie), and they looked liked they had both just woken up. Andy even had his Monsters Inc. fleece comforter dragged out into the living room, which was sprawled across his lap and on to Maddie's adjoining couch.

"You're awake?" Was the first of many questions he wanted to ask. Maddie nodded, and he continued. "What do you want?"

Maddie blinked at him, her hand holding out the remote. "On tv, peas. Bues Coos."

"Blues Clues? The show where a mad man talks to supposedly inanimate animated objects that should be sent to an asylum?"

"Asah-lam?" Andy tilted his head to the side, while Maddie poked the remote on his arm again. "Bues Coos, peas!"

Sheldon rolled his eyes as he took the remote, pressing the power button to make the infants go away. The tv immediately turned on and he changed it to Nickelodeon where the said show was playing. He watched Maddie hurried to her couch, practically throwing herself on it as the insane man started dancing while making his way towards a red arm chair. He heard the twins singing along to a song about a letter before drowning them out yet again. It appeared that they were already content on watching the show, and he continued on to focusing on his work. It was around nine when he felt another assault on his arm.

"What do you want now?" He asked stoically, barely tearing his gaze from his laptop.

"Sedon, Andy and Maddie want eat." It was Andy, this time. "Peas make befast?"

Sheldon sighed in irritation and swiveled his chair back to the twins. He closed his eyes and recalled their supposed breakfast for the day, based on their mother's e-mail. "Pancakes, am I correct?" The toddler nodded happily, and Sheldon proceeded to stand up. Once he fed them, they would go on their merry way and he could go back to his work. He made his way to the kitchen and brought out the ingredients. Making pancakes was fairly easy, and he was sure that his would be the best pancakes those children would ever taste.

He was about to crack an egg when he felt someone tugging on his shirt.

"We hep?" Maddie asked as he craned his neck to look at the two toddlers. He hadn't noticed that the two were fairly tall for the age; they were a little past his thighs standing at an estimate of 36 inches. The math suggested that they would be tall when they grow up. "Miks battah!" Andy exclaimed, pointing up to the counter.

Sheldon eyed the counter island cautiously. The counter was not big enough for both of them to sit on, and for preparing their breakfast. He then eyed the two stools at the other side of the counter. If he placed them there, there was 99.9% chance that they would fall off, given that Zippy was too energetic, and mainly because a single un-calculated move could lead to a concussion. Or an untimely death. Although he was not overtly fond with the twins as his friends were, he did not wish for them to have any accidents leading to a tragic death. One blow to the head from the height of the stool could be crucial, and so he decided against it. Plus, the blame would be place on him, and he didn't want that.

"I'm afraid you can't help," he said and the twins frowned, "please return to your respective spots and wait for your breakfast."

"Peaspeaspeaspeaspeaspeaspeas?" Maddie pouted, and Sheldon furrowed his eyebrows. "Again, there is an l in please." He picked up the temporarily abandoned egg, and cracked it. "But I'll compromise," he glanced at them as he cracked another egg, "if you behave and allow me to finish these, I'll give you cookies."

"Ookies!"

"Ookies!"

Sheldon winced as they happily babbled about the cookies on their way back to their couches. Like their mother, they could easily be bribed with food. Another thing they inherited from her. "_Ookies_," he shook his head, as he mixed the pancake batter, "how gullible."

Once he was done, he decided to serve the twins their breakfast. He added blueberries on top, as Penny said to add fruits and that the twins liked blueberries, and just enough pancake syrup that was drizzled into the Flash and the Green Lantern's symbols. It was a masterpiece, and he knew that the toddlers would be amazed at what may be the best breakfast they would ever have. And, since he was such a generous person, he would let them use their bottle one last time before he disposed of them. They weren't going to progress in life if they couldn't even drink from a cup. At least they could use utensils.

"Bon appetite," he said as he placed a plate in front of the twins, and a bottle of milk for each.

Andy grinned at the food in front of him while Maddie frowned, scrutinizing the pancakes. Sully's frown deepened then she turned to her twin, crossing her arms, "Maddie no want."

"What?" Sheldon asked, glancing at his wonderful display of food then at the complaining toddler. "What do you mean you're not going to eat? In front of you is a plate of perfectly made blueberry pancakes! With the Green Lantern's symbol made with syrup. And I rarely cook for _anyone_. You should be happy to even get the opportunity to taste my cooking!"

The toddler looked up at him, and blue eyes met blue.

Sheldon suddenly felt an odd sense of familiarity as he glared back at the toddler. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something about how she glared knowingly at him that made him feel déjà vu. It was like he had seen that look before, but somehow, his eidetic memory was failing him. Was it Penny's glare? It wasn't, as the toddler's glare was much more intense and intimidating that he suddenly wanted to allow the toddler to do what she wanted. Not that he was afraid of the toddler—he wasn't—but he just wanted to get it over with; he had far more important things to do.

"Fine. What is wrong with what I made?" He growled as he tore his gaze away from the still unhappy toddler.

Maddie pointed a finger at the stack of pancakes, "fuh-root _in _pun-kiks."

Oh.

_Oh._

He straightened his back and scurried to his laptop and re-read what Penny said in her e-mail.

"Make sure that the fruits are _inside_ the pancakes and the waffles, or else Maddie won't eat it. Andy will eat mostly anything, but Maddie will refuse anything that isn't up to her standards." Sheldon blinked at his laptop, then glanced at the twins over his shoulder. Andy was happily eating the pancakes while Maddie sat beside him, her gaze locked on the untouched pancakes. "What exactly do you want me to do?"

Maddie slowly turned her head to him, her frown still evident on her face. Another traitq she must have inherited from her mother, Sheldon thought. Stubbornness. "Make new."

_Make new ones?_ Was this child insane? He didn't even take orders from Leonard, why would he, an accomplished, well-respected physicist and future Nobel laureate, obey a toddler's orders? One that couldn't even form coherent sentences, too! It was unbelievable, and if only their mother wasn't Penny, he would do something about it. Maybe he shouldn't feed her. But she might get hungry and throw a tantrum. Then he'll starve her again for misbehaving. But she might die from starvation, and he'd die from Penny doing unimaginable yet unspeakably cruel things to his corpse. Plus, he somewhat understood the infant's refusal. If Leonard were to give him the wrong order, he would never let him hear the end of it. Then he'd make him do it all over again. So, he huffed, googled his problem, then stood up and marched to the kitchen to grab a plate and a fork of his own. Then he took the leftover pancakes he was saving for Leonard (it was an unspoken rule between them that if one were to cook, they would save some for the other) and placed it on his plate before making his way to his spot.

"Maddie," he said as he sat down, placing the plate on his lap. It was a good thing that Tuesdays just so happened to be Pancake day. He wasn't hungry—at all—but Yahoo Answers said that if a toddler refused to eat, eating with them and showing them that the food was okay would help the situation. He had no plans on making another batch of pancakes; unless this plan wouldn't work, but the commenters said that sitting down and eating with children helped. This could be seen as an experiment. He may also owe Leonard an apology for how he reacted the night before. The darn toddler _was_ picky, and had he not commented about it, he wouldn't be stuck in this mess. "Will me eating, somehow make you want to eat?"

The toddler looked up at him in confusion, and he simply lifted his plate. "Shall we have breakfast?" He quietly sliced a portion of the pancake, stabbed a couple of blueberries with the end of his fork and started eating. He was such a great cook.

Maddie glanced at the stack of pancakes, then up at Sheldon then at her twin brother who was drinking milk. "It good?" She asked, waiting for her twin to stop drinking. Andy grinned, nodding then stabbing his fork back down on the stack of pancakes. "It deh-ishas!"

"I recommend that you eat it now before it gets cold," Sheldon remarked, taking another bite of pancakes as Maddie sighed. Slowly, she picked up her fork, and stabbed a blueberry on top of a pancake triangle. With slight hesitation, she brought the fork to her mouth and ate it. Sheldon raised an eyebrow, "what is your opinion on it?"

"It deh-ishas!" Maddie grinned up at him, and Sheldon silently thanked the internet and whoever answered the question in Yahoo Answers. He would give that user a good rating.

* * *

"Hey Sheldon, are you ready to go?"

Sheldon was in the middle of shutting his laptop off when Leonard arrived to pick the three of them up for dinner. Tuesday nights were no longer spent at The Cheesecake Factory, and was instead held at the restaurant Raj discovered that served an array of food. He had originally gone against the idea of changing restaurants at first, but only Penny or Bernadette could serve his burger, no one else. However, both were gone from the restaurant, and Leonard was too attached to it, that they had to find a new Tuesday burger joint. As luck would have it (though, he didn't believe in luck) Raj found the restaurant, and their barbecue, bacon, cheeseburger was beyond acceptable. They were also very open to suggestions, and thanks to his brilliant ideas, like allowing customers to choose what type of meat they want, the restaurant was a hit. Because of that, they got their own table, which he chose, and free dessert. Much better than The Cheesecake Factory.

"Yes, I was just turning off my laptop."

"How was the first day of babysitting?" Leonard scanned the room; there were no messes or anything misplaced. He had originally thought that all hell would break loose once he closed the front door, and he would come home to find Sheldon finally going insane, and a receipt for Sheldon somehow finding a way to ship the twins to France. Instead, the apartment was tidy, Sheldon seemed like the Sheldon definition of normal, and the twins were _dressed_ out of their pajamas and into outerwear. "You manage to give them a bath?"

"It was relatively easy, and I found no difficulties." The theoretical physicist smugly grinned as he slipped his arms through his windbreaker. His first day of the task started off a bit rocky, with Maddie refusing to eat pancakes _with_ blueberries, but other than that everything went smoothly. After breakfast, the twins continued watching their cartoons, then went off to play in their playpen. Around lunchtime, there were no problems with what they ate; meatballs (made with mostly vegetables thanks to a website he found) with tomato sauce, with a side of bread and sliced carrots. Though, he did have some difficulty with getting them to eat carrots, but once he sliced them into tiny pieces and hid them in the soup, they completely forgot about it. Once they were all settled, he gave them a bath, which was a task that he found surprisingly easy to do.

As he was a hygiene enthusiast, he wanted their new inhabitants to be clean. It was quite a surprise that all he needed was to place his Death Star rubber boat in the tub, then the toddlers would no longer protest. It was a puzzlement how Leonard found the task of bathing the twins to be so tedious. It took him about an hour to clean both of them up—though he had some difficulty with Maddie—and got them to take their nap. While they slept, he continued working on his grant proposal, and even enjoyed a round of playing L.A. Noir before the twins woke up again. They played again (they never seemed to get tired of playing) then he got them to change into their outdoor clothes. Which reminded him that he needed to get them nicer clothes, like superhero shirts. Penny's choice of clothing for her children were foolish and composed of dresses and cardigans and fancy clothes that he decided that they needed more comfortable clothes. Again, like superhero shirts.

"Of course I gave them a bath. They have to be washed before we leave, Leonard."

"And you didn't have a hard time at giving them a bath?" Leonard asked incredulously, shocked that the anti-bathing toddlers agreed to a bath. "Why yes! Like the entire first day, it was easy. They didn't even resist, and are now clean and spiffy." The bespectacled man stayed silent for a moment, glancing at the twins who were busy molding new clay sculptures on the couch. Maybe, Sheldon really could take care of the twins. Which was beyond confusing, as Sheldon _detested_ children.

"Okay," he drawled, walking over to the couch and getting the twins' attention. "Come on now, guys we're going out for dinner."

Maddie snatched the odd shaped sculpture from Andy's hands and placed it on the coffee table, along with hers, as Andy protested. "Andy was making Sedon!"

"Eat," Maddie said, pointing at Leonard, "toohs-dee dinnah."

"Fine," Andy grumbled, sliding down the couch to the floor along with his twin. He looked at Sheldon, "Sedon eat?"

Sheldon raised an eyebrow as he opened the front door, "of course. Plus, Leonard is going to have to give me a prize for having a splendid first day." He smirked at Leonard, who simply winced. "Yeah, sure, sure."

It was just the first day, a lot of things could change until Monday. So, Sheldon could be arrogant now, but Leonard knew that this was just the start.

* * *

**Wednesday; **5 days until end of task.

* * *

_"Can you tell me where the map is?"_

"Da map is in da bag!"

"Da bag, Do-uh! Da bag!"

_"Where's the map?"_

Sheldon yanked his sleeping mask off his face as he sat up on his bed. He swore that he could hear voices coming from the living room. He glanced at his alarm clock and saw that it was _five in the morning_. He wasn't supposed to get up until _seven_ for what most simpletons would call a 'good night's sleep' and not having enough would lead to impaired cognitive function. The roommate agreement dictates that one could only use the television until midnight, unless a movie marathon, game marathon, online marathon, or other agreed upon events would occur that would require an extension on usage time. It was five hours past midnight, and there were no movie, game, online marathon or other agreed upon events, yet he could hear the television.

With a huff, he slipped his robe on and marched into the living room with a deep frown. "Leonard, it is an hour and forty seven minutes before your supposed—" he stopped at the entrance to the hall at the sight of the twins' eyes glued to the television as they sat atop a sleeping Leonard. "Why are the two of you awake?"

Maddie slowly twisted her head to face him—which somewhat reminded of characters in horror movies—her blue eyes wide as if she was getting hypnotized. "Do-uh da expo-wah."

"Dora? The explorer?" The toddler nodded, and he pursed his lips. He knew that show, it was a children's show that his niece used to watch. "Isn't that the show where a child with horrible parents—that should be reported to the proper authorities—travels without supervision while talking to various animals and at the same time can't seem to remember where she placed various objects, and figure out the difference between a forest and a lake?" Maddie blinked up at him, and he continued. "The little girl who should be sent to a therapist and get a second opinion considering a lifetime in Camarillo State Mental Hospital?"

"Huh?" Maddie tilted her head to the side, before Andy tugged on her sleeve. "Do-uh need hep!" Maddie nodded, clenching her tiny fists in excitement then returning her gaze to the television and yelling with Andy. "Sipuh no siping! Sipuh no siping! Sipuh no siping!"

Sheldon squinted his eyes at the television, then moved to grab the remote from the coffee table and turned the television off. This entire occurrence would greatly damage his and the twins' entire schedule for the day, as their sleep cycle was now ruined. They were supposed to wake up at at least eight; it was nearly a quarter to six. Toddlers should not be awake at this ungodly hour, and should get plenty of sleep. "It is time for you two to sleep. This has made me realize that the gates are ineffective, and shall result in further inspection. Now, get off of Leonard and march back to your rooms." He waited for them to move, but they didn't budge.

"Hey! I told the both of you that it's time to sleep!"

"Maddie no want seep! Do-uh need hep, Maddie and Andy hep!" Maddie spat, shaking Leonard's arm to wake him up. "Uncah Wenad, Sedon make tv go bye bye!"

Leonard, still half asleep, slowly opened his eyes and yawned. "What?"

Andy shook his arm, again, "Sedon make tv go bye bye!"

"Sheldon," Leonard groaned, placing a hand above his face, trying to comprehend what was happening. "Don't make the tv go bye bye, or else we won't test out those robots that Howard made on Saturday."

The theoretical physicist stilled, then folded his arms. "Leonard, you are not seriously blackmailing me. Sheldroid will be tested when I want it to be tested, not because you said so."

"Keep that up and only the Hofstadtron will be battling Robopalli and Wolobot. The winner gets the other robot, and will be allowed to fuse with it."

There was a moment of silence and Leonard sighed in content. "There is a limit to your threats, Leonard, and one day, I'm sure you'll run out of them." Sheldon hissed as he pressed the power button on the remote, the sound of the delusional little girl's voice booming into the room. "There, are you happy?"

Leonard nodded, nestling his head on his pillow. "Yep, good enough."

With one last glare at the twins and Leonard, he walked back to his room and lied down. He needed to go back to sleep, but all he could do was stare up at the ceiling. He tried to count how many Beasts jumped over a fence; listed his favorite Marvel superheroes in order of strongest to weakest, listed his favorite DC superheroes in order of importance, listed his favorite Batwomen, stated all of the reasons why Firefly shouldn't have been cancelled, thought of all of the inconsistencies in the original Spiderman movies, mentally made a proper dissection of the new Amazing Spiderman movie (which he would post online later) and had imagined all of the cool superhero clothes he would make the twins wear. But after all that, sleep still eluded him. It was now ten minutes past six, and was still not the right time to be awake.

He was finding it impossible to sleep with the racket outside; the television was raised to the max volume and the toddlers were singing as loudly as they could. He could use his noise canceling headphones, but he was still charging them. All he could do was sigh, and try as hard as he could to return to sleep. A nap would be good enough to patch up the gap in his REM cycle, and he decided that it was what he needed. And soon enough, he was dozing off.

_Bang, bang, bang!_

"Sedon?"

_Bang, bang, bang!_

"Sedon?"

"Ignore them; and they'll go away." Sheldon sleepily muttered, shutting his eyes tightly.

_Bang, bang, bang!_

"Sedon?"

There was another moment of silence, and he started to drift off again. Sadly, it was barely a minute later when something tugged his blanket from his body. Curse Howard and his confounded easy open door button! He angrily sat up on his bed and flicked the switch on his lamp. If he was going to intimidate children into sleeping, he was going to do it with light on.

"What do you want, now?" Sheldon tiredly growled at the two toddlers standing near the edge of his bed.

"We hungy," Maddie said, pointing a finger to her clothed stomach.

It was _hours_ before their supposed wake up time, much less their breakfast time! "Why don't you ask Leonard to feed you?"

Andy frowned, "Uncah Wenad say dat Sedon make befast."

Sheldon stared at the children in disbelief and grabbed his phone to check the email that Penny sent him. There was no definite time for breakfast. That means that they ate whenever they felt like eating, or rather, when they were hungry. Like now. He grunted in irritation before swinging his legs to the side of his bed, "let me just make this clear, this will be the _last_ time that you will ever wake me up for such an asinine reason, ever again. Do you understand?"

The twins turned to each other, shrugged, then turned back to him. "Okay!"

It was a bit too late to admit to himself, but he strongly regretted taunting Leonard and putting himself in this position.

* * *

Damn those twins, damn them times infinity.

Sheldon usually did not subject himself to using profanity, but he was just so infuriated that he couldn't help it. He could accept them annoying him while he was working, or maybe waking him at a such an early hour that he could no longer go back to sleep. Anything _but_ what they had force him to do!

They made him skip _comic book night_. And that wasn't the worst of all, no! The worst thing was that, apparently, a production assistant that worked on The Dark Knight was going to drop by and spill some spoilers about the new movie. He didn't care if the others would fill him out on all of the details, he wanted to be the one to ask all of the logical questions that none of them would come up with! Like if there were any plans of a Superman versus Batman movie in the near future! None of them was going to ask that. Instead, they were going to ask about Robin and Catwoman and all of the other vanilla questions that was already answerable via the internet.

Which was why instead of sulking on not getting to meet the production assistant, he again, worked on his grant proposal. It was almost done, and simply needed some polishing. He had to give it to Kripke that afternoon, and since he was 'banned' from the university—Siebert didn't need to say it twice—until his vacation was over, he would email it to Kripke. His research was going to be heaps and bounds ahead of Kripke's research, and he knew it. He had spent about a week recreating his research so that Kripke could see his genius, but not all of it. So that Kripke and some other members of the university could marvel at his intelligence, but not enough to publish it as their own. Once he got his new fusion reactor, he was going to publish his work, then finish his work on the new super heavy element, then finalize the final parts of his and Raj's combined research.

Sheldon wouldn't be surprised if he was already another step closer to a Nobel. It was the main reason why he had been so busy working this past year. With the discovery of the Higgs Boson, physics was making a giant leap forward and—

"Ask Sedon!"

"But Sedon say no!"

"Go ask!"

"Why are the two of you creating such a ruckus when I specifically said not to bother me?" He stared at the bickering siblings, a small scowl of disapproval on his face. It was just his second day of taking care of the twins, and though the first day went smoothly, today did not. Due to them ruining his sleep, he had been awake since five that morning, and he had been working nonstop on his research ever since. Not only did they deprive him of sleep, they also did not falter at annoying him throughout the entire day. Andy with his constant questioning of what he was working on, and Maddie constantly prodding for him to continue building the 'Det Stah.' Then when Leonard and the guys arrived that afternoon to pick them up to go to the comic book store, they threw a tantrum saying that they didn't want to go. They were all dressed up and ready to go, but apparently Andy didnt feel like going. Which killed his chances of personally asking that production assistant his many questions about the new Batman film, as no one wanted to stay with the twins in his place. Which was why he decided that of this was another of their nonsense, he would ignore them until the others returned.

Maddie pointed a finger at her twin brother accusingly, "Andy want sum-ting!"

Sheldon moved his gaze to Andy, who was shuffling his feet. "And what is it that you want?"

Andy wrung his hands then lifted his gaze up to him. "Andy want ice ceam, peas?"

"Ice cream? You want ice cream?" Sheldon narrowed his eyes and Andy nervously nodded, looking at his twin for support. "You haven't had dinner yet, and it will ruin your appetites."

Maddie tapped a finger on her chin, deeply thinking, then looked up at him. "Maddie want ice ceam, too."

"Your mother will not be happy to hear that you had dessert before dinner. It is said to ruin your appetite, and I do not want to shoulder any blame of such." Sheldon crossed his arms, and noticed how Maddie stilled and mirrored his stance, crossing her tiny arms. This toddler inherited her mother's stubbornness, and attitude, multiplied by a thousand. When she wanted something, _really_ wanted something, she wouldn't give up until she didn't get what she wanted. Leonard always knuckled under for the toddler, and had spoiled her. He didn't know why, but Leonard always did. But he wouldn't. Like the pancake incident, he wasn't going to give her what she wanted. It took a lot more than a cold front to make him do something for someone. He had already seen her 'pout' and it did not work. Intimidation also did not work on him, though she did deserve credit as she was very convincing, but he was the king of intimidation. The little toddler could try with all her might, but no facial expression would make him obey her orders. "My answer, is no."

Then the blonde toddler stepped forward, and did what Sheldon never expected her to do.

She cried.

"Why are you crying?" He shrieked bolting from his chair and crouching down to the weeping toddler. He knew that she was only crying to get what she wanted, but he couldn't handle tears! Even if she knew that they were fake, tears made him uneasy and uncomfortable. Maddie's tears made his stomach drop, his heat clench, and he badly wanted to give her a hot beverage. He desperately wanted her to stop crying as each second only made him feel worse, and he wasn't dong anything wrong! But... the only way to make her stop crying was to give in and give her what she wanted. Curses. He really had to get used to seeing either of these toddlers cry, as he was sure that their tears were fake most of the time.

Sheldon sighed heavily, he just really wanted to get this over with. They were already dressed to leave, and maybe he did want some ice cream, as well. "Will you stop crying if we go out for ice cream?"

Maddie sniffled, wiping her face with her sleeve then beamed up at him. The nerve of this child. "Yes! Maddie want ice ceam!" She turned to her brother who was grinning and happily clapped his hands in delight. "Ice ceam! Ice ceam!"

"You're lucky that there's an ice creamery just down the street that I approve of." He slipped his windbreaker on, grabbed his wallet and took his keys from the bowl then opened the door. "Their ice cream is creamy, but they also have a non-dairy ice cream that Leonard enjoys. You might like their chocolate ice cream, it's excellent."

The twins ran over to him, before he locked the door. Leonard always had his key with him, and he knew that they wouldn't stay too long at the ice creamery. He turned around and found Maddie staring up at him. Sheldon also realized that this was the first time that the three of them went somewhere without the others. "And what do you want now?"

Maddie blinked, then raised her arms. "Is that some sort of expression of gratitude?" Sheldon asked, and the toddler shook her head, extending her arms up at him. "Maddie up, peas?"

"You want me to carry _you_?" Sheldon stared down at the twenty one month old toddler who was raising her tiny arms up at him, then at her twin brother who seemed to be affronted by the idea. Heavy lifting was not his forte (nor was it anyone else's in their group) which was why he declared Leonard as the muscle, by default. This child alone would be about thirty pounds, give or take. He could break his back in the process, and no one would be present to hear him cry for help. However, looking at the toddler again, she didn't seem too heavy. Leonard seemed to be able to do it, and could even carry both of them at the same time for at least five minutes before putting one of them down. Even Raj and Howard could do it, and the two of them together—even with Leonard—couldn't even beat him at Trestling! If they could, then there was no doubt about it that he could, too. Although, he was a bit nervous, as he really might injure himself, like when he lifted that unbelievably heavy encyclopedia.

Sheldon slowly leaned forward, stretching his arms towards her, and picked her up.

Maybe he finally got superhuman strength! ... That was scientifically impossible, and he was embarrassed to even have thought of the idea. But it was the only plausible explanation on why Maddie was currently perched on his left arm, and why he hadn't thrown his back out. Then again, the others could do it, so he could, too. He shifted his gaze to Andy, who was silent the entire time. "Do you want to be carried as well?"

Andy frowned and shook his head, "no! Andy not baby!" Maddie shot her twin a look from Sheldon's arm, "Maddie not baby! Maddie jus' want up."

"Alright, stop fighting," Sheldon hissed, grabbing Andy's tiny hand and proceeding to walk down the stairs. "The two of you should avoid fighting, as it really does irritate me to an extent. Fight again, and we will turn around and return to the apartment." Maddie made a zipping gesture over her mouth and Andy simply tightened his hold on his hand. Once they reached the second floor landing, Andy spoke again, "wat ice ceam Sedon wike da most?"

"Chocolate is my favorite flavor," he said as Andy released his hand, jumping down each step.

"Andy wike choc-et too!" Andy chirped, taking a big jump from the last step of the stairs down to the ground of the first floor. "Maddie wike ookies and ceam," Maddie stated, smiling up at him, "wike mommy!" He tilted his head to the side as he pushed the door open with his free hand, "isn't Penny's favorite strawberry ice cream?"

Andy spun around, nodding excitedly, "mommy wikes both!"

Sheldon watched as Andy ran up to a bench next to the building, greeting the pigeons that were sitting on top of it, then scurried back to him once he saw a lady walking their way. "Mrs. Gunderson, good evening, or as I call it, pre-evening." He calmly said as Mrs. Gunderson, the old lady from apartment 3A, strolled towards them, her white pet poodle at her side.

"Sheldon dear, I didn't know you had children!" The old lady animatedly placed a hand over her chest, then nodded her head towards Maddie who was sitting on his arm, then at Andy who was hiding behind his legs. He vigorously shook his head, while Mrs. Gunderson's dog started to sniff Andy, causing him to step back. "Oh no, I'm afraid you're mistaken, Mrs. Gunderson. These are not my children, they're Penny's children." The old lady looked to be in thought, trying to recall their former neighbor. "The one who used to date my roommate, and resided in 4B?"

Mrs. Gunderson nodded happily, finally remembering the girl. "Ah yes! The sweet blonde girl that stars in Halfway there! I'm a big fan of that show, and I can't believe I forgotten about living in the same building with her. I can't believe these beautiful children are hers, but I've seen them on gossip shows before! My, it seems just like yesterday that we would exchange pleasantries at the lobby before she scurried to get to the Cheesecake Factory for her shift!" She stepped closer to him, and reached out to gently pinch Maddie's (who blinked at the stranger) cheeks. "Are they Leonard's?"

Sheldon furrowed his eyebrows as he pondered the question. Were they Leonard's offsprings? But they call him uncle... but it was possible that it's just a setup to ensure that he doesn't find out. However, why would Leonard hide the fact that he had children? "No, they are not," his eyes darted at Maddie then at Andy before looking back at his neighbor to offer her a small, unsure smile. Andy started laughing as the little white dog started licking his face, tearing him away from his skeptic thoughts. He could theorize about it later. "Well, whoever their father is, he must have beautiful eyes. I know that Penny doesn't have those eyes," she patted Maddie's head then gently tugged on her dog's leash. "Come on now, Marsha, it's time to go home." The dog gave a small bark of understanding, and stepped closer to her owner. "It was nice seeing you, three."

The three watched as the old lady walked into the apartment before retrieving his sanitizer from his pocket and handed it to Andy. "Put some on your hand, then apply it on your cheeks." Andy did as he was told, then returned his hold on Sheldon's hand. He winced at the return of contact, but he saw that the toddler had thoroughly sanitized his hands. "Sedon get ice ceam, now?" They started walking, and he shifted Maddie—who was watching cars pass by—on his arm. "Of course. Scryer's has the best ice cream out there. It's clean, too."

* * *

Leonard quickly opened the door, then checked his watch—there was still time!

"Sheldon!" He glanced around the apartment, frantically searching for his roommate. "Sheldon, where the hell are you? Twins, hello?"

The experimental physicist abandoned the living room and made his way towards the bedrooms. He stopped at Sheldon's bedroom, he might be asleep or watching a movie on Netflix. "Hey, Sheldon! Sheldon! Sheldon!" He waited for a response, and found none. Somewhat worried, he opened the door—hoping that Sheldon wouldn't do his monthly fingerprint check on the doorknob to see who tried to get into his room—and found no one. He moved to his bedroom, and swung the door open. "Sheldon?" He scanned the room, it was still in the state it was before he left the apartment. The three of them must have left, which was shocking as Sheldon seemed to not want anything to do with the twins. Maybe he really was okay with the twins. But that gigantic leap of progress did not matter, as something much, much, _much _more important was happening!

Raj practically stumbled up the stairs and scrambled to get into apartment 4A. "Dude! Where is he?"

Leonard sprinted from his bedroom and into the living room. "I don't know, they must have gone out. I don't see them anywhere, and his wallet isn't on his table or in his room."

The astrophysicist groaned, "how is it that Sheldon is missing at the same time that William Shatner drops by Suart's store?!"

"Is Howard still holding up our spots in line?" Leonard worriedly asked, looking around the apartment again, in hopes of Sheldon magically appearing. Instead of the production assistant from The Dark Knight, it was _William Shatner_ who visited the store for a signing. "Yeah, but he said that the line is moving pretty quick, so we gotta go quickly!"

Leonard frowned in regret, and grabbed all of their Star Trek memorabilia. "I'll just get something signed for him. Now let's go, or else we won't get anything signed!"

* * *

Sheldon swung the apartment door open, allowing the slightly sleepy toddlers to walk in. "I apologize if we're late; the line at Scryer's was excruciatingly long and it took us about half an hour to get inside." He closed the door and tossed his keys into the bowl, "it was a good thing that their ice cream is magnificent or else I would have found a way to run them down. My sharp comments got another bakery to close, you know." The twins then made their way to their respective chairs, and started to rub their full tummies.

"Oh no, we just got back about ten to twenty minutes ago," Leonard said, holding his excitement down as he pushed the container towards Sheldon, "eat up while it's not cold, then we'll start HALO night."

Sheldon nodded his head, walking to the kitchen to place an ice cream tub in the freezer. "I'm afraid the twins won't be able to eat anymore. Scryer's had an all-you-can-eat ice cream buffet, and they ate like there was no tomorrow. I fear that this mistake will heavily ruin their appetite for the days to come. "

"That must've been fun. Their non-dairy ice cream is great," Leonard commented, taking another bite of his food. Raj nodded in agreement, "they do have great ice cream. We should go there sometime soon."

Howard lifted his eyebrows, glancing at the box filled with collectibles that was sitting beside the couch. "Speaking of soon, why didn't you answer any of our calls? I asked William Shatner to wait for you for like five freaking minutes, just so he could say hi!"

The theoretical physicist paused, closed the freezer door then turned to face his friends. "William Shatner? What do you mean William Shatner?" He stared at the three men who were gaping at him; he had left his phone here.

"Apparently, there really was no production assistant," Leonard started, carefully watching Sheldon's reaction to what he was about to say. "Instead it was William Shatner, who arrived for a surprise signing." Sheldon's expression dropped, and it was as if the life was sucked out of his roommate. "He was there to sign anything Star Trek related, or Boston Legal related, then Raj and I came back for you, but the three of you were gone. Then once we got back to the comic book store, Howard tried calling you to at least get William Shatner to say hi to you. But we did get him to say something in your voicemail.

Sheldon immediately leapt to his desk, his eyes wide and his teeth clenched as he fumbled with his phone. He had missed _the_ William Shatner, live and in person! He could imagine all of the questions he would ask him, and all the laughs they would share once he realized that he was the greatest Star Trek fan out there. Then his mind wandered to all of the Star Trek memorabilia he would've gotten him to sign, and the picture he could've took with him that he would use as his Facebook profile photo! He skimmed past the forty messages from his friends and opened his voicemail, putting his phone in max volume.

"Hey, Sheldon, this is William Shatner! It's a shame that you couldn't be here to meet me, your friends said that you're a big fan of Star Trek, and I wanted to meet you myself. I even heard of you from Leonard Nimoy, and his restraining order! Well, anyway, I just wanted to say hi, and that I hope we'd meet in person one day. Live long and prosper!"

"Pos-puh?" Andy repeated, turning to his twin. "Wat dat?"

"Who Wi-yam Satter?" Maddie asked Leonard, who was still nervous about Sheldon's reaction.

Howard and Raj watched ominously as Sheldon repeatedly played the voicemail, with a haunted, empty look on his face. Raj took a deep breath, the last time something like this happened was when Sheldon got a court order from the Pasadena jail. Sheldon was beyond angry when he had missed Stan Lee, and they weren't sure on how he would react about William Shatner. With as much courage as he could muster, Raj asked something none of them wanted to ask. "Sheldon?"

"What!" Sheldon snapped, a haunted look on his face.

"Are you okay?" Raj asked before flinching at the intensity of Sheldon's gaze. "We got him to sign some of your things for you."

"No, I am not okay. And next time, _do not_ touch my belongings without my permission." He hissed and marched to his room. This was just like the time that he was thrown in jail for driving Penny to the hospital. He had missed Stan Lee, and received a restraining order, because of Penny. Now, because of Penny's offsprings, he missed William Shatner! For ice cream! If he hadn't succumb to the female toddler's wants, he might have been there when Leonard came back for him. He would have met William Shatner in person, instead of wasting time standing in line just to eat ice cream! Just like their mother, the twins were somehow ruining his happiness. Had the three of them stayed away from him, he would have met Stan Lee (and ate frozen yoghurt with him) and William Shatner. A lousy voicemail wasn't going to make up for the loss of not meeting him in person, nor would signed collectibles.

Well, it would, but it did not remove the fact that he was seriously regretting ever agreeing to taking care of these children.

He still had four days to put up with them.

* * *

**I have a pretty odd way of counting days, so please don't point it out as even had to check again and again if I did it right.**


	4. The Takeover 2 - You're Not Fun

**Ta da! Here's the next chapter, just a little a bit later than I promised!**

**To Leanne: Hi! Even I want to punch Sheldon, and make him crumble, but I decided that instead of him having a hard time at taking care of the twins, I'll hit him with something different! Although, there is a deleted scene where he does find babysitting hard, but I had to cut it out due to the length of the chapter. But it'll probably be featured in a future chapter. But don't worry, just because he did okay in his first time of babysitting, doesn't mean that it will all be great during their entire stay! *wink wink* Hearing that you don't ship Shenny actually makes me half-nervous (as this is a Shenny story) and half-flattered that you're reading my fic! *sends you virtual chocolate* Thanks for the advice and the awesome reviews! I'll take note of what you want to see, and you'see it! :-D**

**And a special shoutout to my good friend ses1515 who is all sorts of awesome!**

* * *

**Thursday;** 4 days until end of task.

* * *

"It's fairly simple, just decide on whether or not you'll buy a property."

Andy gave Sheldon a confused look, then stared at the subject of discussion. "Andy no get it."

Sheldon sighed in irritation; how hard was it to understand the rules of Monopoly? It started earlier that morning when the children refused to play with their toys, claiming that they were bored with them. Then he allowed them to play their toddler games on the Wii, but after a few minutes, they again claimed that they didn't want to play. His first thought was to ignore them, but ignoring the two never led to anything beneficial, so he instead tried teaching them more complex games. They started with Jenga (he considered giant Jenga but it was too dangerous) but Maddie kept making the tower fall whenever it was Andy's turn. They then moved to Snakes N' Ladders, but Andy kept insisting that he was to ride the ladder, when he landed on snakes. They then moved to chess, but both couldn't grasp the basics. Now, they were trying Monopoly.

"If you buy this property, each time that either Maddie or I land on it, we'll have to pay you rent." Sheldon flipped the property card, showing the toddler the list of rent prices. "And If you manage to buy all three of these colors, you'll be allowed to buy houses, and eventually hotels that will increase the rent you'll charge us. Will you buy the property, now?"

Andy furrowed his eyebrows, staring at his handful of money then back up at Sheldon. He still didn't understand what the adult was talking about, and he was getting frustrated about it. "Andy no buy, peas."

"Okay, then that means that it's your turn now, Maddie." He turned to the female toddler who was moving her piece around the board. "Maddie stop doing that, and roll the dice."

Maddie stopped, and looked up at Sheldon with a small frown. "Dis game no fun! Maddie no get it."

"What do you mean, 'you don't get it?'" Sheldon asked, placing the dice on the board and passing it to Maddie. "It's your turn, so return your character to visiting jail, roll the dice, and move your piece."

"But dis game no fun!" Maddie whined, flicking Sheldon's car piece and crossing her arms. "Maddie no want to pay this game no more."

"Andy, too," the blonde boy said, nodding in agreement.

"There is an L in _play_." Sheldon narrowed his eyes at the two toddlers sitting opposite him. They were, once again, getting on his nerves. How dare they complain when he was already so generous to momentarily pause in building his Lego Death Star just to give them what they wanted! He had until Saturday to complete the Death Star, and he had to attach the final pieces in front of Raj. He was already about ninety percent done with it when the infants started whining about wanting to play with him. So he did! And now they were whining again! It was always like this with these two, they always wanted something from him, and he didn't understand _why_ they did! They didn't seem to act this way towards Leonard or any of the others! "If you don't want to play this, then what do you want to play? We've tried practically every easy game we have, and I strongly doubt that you'll be able to understand Life or Cluedo. Especially not rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock."

"We want pay fun game," Andy explained, pushing the Monopoly board away. "Dis game no fun. Dis game hahd."

Sheldon's eye twitched. "How is it hard? This is one of the easiest games out there! Let's see you call this game hard when I bring out the three-dimensional chess!"

"Fun game," Andy repeated, frowning at him. "Sedon dis no fun game! Sedon no fun." Sheldon face twitched.

"Uncah Wenad fun," Maddie piped in, tapping a finger on her chin. "Uncah Wenad ah-ways fun!"

Andy grinned, turning to her twin to continue discussing the 'fun' Leonard, while forgetting that his not fun self was still in the room. "Uncah Wenad fun, wike Mommy!"

"Uncah Wenad da funest! Mommy da funest, too!"

"Sedon fun?" Andy asked, turning to Maddie, who also had forgotten that he was still in the room. Maddie shook her head, and they barely noticed how his face started to twitch. "Sedon not fun wike Mommy and Uncah Wenad."

Fun? How was he not 'fun?' He was the funnest out of the four of them! It was he who was the one who invented three person chess, and it was _he_ who was the one who thought of the idea of creating a new set of personalized robots. What wasn't fun about that? And how exactly was Leonard funner than him? If they had asked Leonard to get them ice cream, the experimental physicist wouldn't even be able to eat with them unless the ice cream was non-dairy! Plus, Leonard was a sore loser at games, like during the great Jenga tantrum of 2008 when Leonard kept insisting that he bumped the table to win! Sore losers weren't fun at all. And in what universe was Penny fun? Penny's perception of fun was playing Twister while drunk, dancing along to the likes of country music, or worse, _online shoe shopping_. He, on the other hand, was the sole definition of fun! If only these tiny humans could take a peak in his brain and get a glimpse of the great debates he has with himself, they'd see how fun he was.

"—Mommy make tain sound too!"

"Uncah Wenad dance funny too!"

"Cos Uncah Wenad fun!"

"Do Sedon dance?"

Sheldon saw Maddie sent him a furtive glance, and he suddenly felt very, very upset. "Sedon no fun, so Sedon no dance."

"Oh. But Uncah Wenad fun and dances! Wike Mommy!"

"Mommy and Uncah Wenad fun, Sedon not."

He was angrier than ever and was filled with despair; even hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks couldn't calm him down. Not only did the twerps seem to ignore his presence, but they were also talking against him! He was fun! So, he didn't dance, but that was not the sole requirement to be fun! The math even suggested that he was a clown made of candy in one universe, but not even one universe had him dancing, but that didn't mean that he wasn't fun! What made him even angrier was that he actually _cared_ about these infants' opinion. He went on for an entire month ignoring Leonard's complaints about the Jenga match, and barely cared about all of the insults that the grad students from his lecture sent him, yet here he was, outraged just because two toddlers thought he wasn't fun.

What was wrong with him? He was a successful physicist, former child prodigy and future Nobel laureate; he wasn't supposed to be offended by this! What made matters worse that he wasn't just angry, but he suddenly felt an odd sense of melancholy whenever they spoke favorably of Leonard. What was so great about his roommate anyway? He was even better than Leonard, and much more interesting than him. The toddlers should be praising _him_, not Leonard. They should be more than grateful that he was even allowing them to spend time with him, as his time was very precious and was meant for greater things than babysitting. So there was no reason for him to be upset! But he wasn't upset, the feeling of melancholy just crept up on him, and now he was sulking. How embarrassing. Maybe he should just forfeit and think of some other way to return the children to their mother. Taking care of them was starting to have a bad effect not only to his REM cycle, but also to his emotional state, and his thinking process.

"Sheldon, I'm back!" The front door opened, and Leonard stepped in, carrying a box of pizza. "Raj and Howard are just finding a spot to park the car, then they'll come right up for Vintage Video Game Night."

"Uncah Wenad!"

"Uncah Wenad!"

The twins got up from their couches and flocked towards the _great_ Leonard. Note the sarcasm. They seemed ten times happier than they were while they were playing Monopoly. "Uncah Wenad! Peas pay with Andy! Sedon no fun!"

Leonard raised an eyebrow as he set the bag on a vacant spot on the coffee table. "What do you mean Sheldon's no fun?"

"Sedon make Maddie pay game dats no fun!" Maddie complained, and Sheldon mentally noted that he would never give in to her demands again. The nerve of that child. "Uncah Wenad wotsa fun, wike mommy! Peas pay with Maddie, too?"

The experimental physicist blinked, then turned to look at the theoretical physicist who was unconsciously sulking in his spot. Sheldon didn't sulk, or mope, unless he actually cared about what made him upset; i.e. missing Stan Lee and William Shatner at the comic book store, and having to collaborate with Kripke. He also normally did not care about other people's opinions of him, and it somewhat shocked him to know that the twins saying that Sheldon was not fun gravely affected him. It was a huge shocker to see him sulk, and even bigger shocker to know that Sheldon cared about the twins' opinion. "Uh, we'll play later, kids. It's time for dinner." The toddlers sighed in defeat then returned to their couches, while Leonard sat on his armchair and stared at his roommate. "Hey, buddy, are you okay?"

Sheldon's gaze lifted from his lap to the aforementioned man. He had a sudden urge to ignore him, but he wouldn't as he was the bigger man. "Yes, I'm just pondering on what I should add to my grant proposal before submitting it. My mother's god knows what I'll do if Kripke's research is even a word longer than mine."

"Sorry we're late," the door opened again, and Howard and Raj entered the apartment. "Raj couldn't find any free spots, so we had to wait a bit."

"There was one car that seriously stole the spot I was supposed to park at," Raj sneered, taking a seat beside Sheldon. "Nevertheless, I will take all of this negative energy and divert into beating all of you in Mario Party! I haven't played that game in ages!"

"Of course you haven't played it in ages," Howard remarked, grabbing a handful of napkins and a piece of pizza, "it's the reason why we called it Vintage Game Night."

"Is it really considered as a vintage game?" Leonard asked while slicing the twins' share of pizza into tiny bite sized pieces. "I thought that we only played games that are, you know, vintage."

Sheldon watched as the twins happily thanked Leonard for cutting their food. They never thanked him for anything. They didn't even call him _uncle_! It was just plain Sheldon, and they didn't even call him his proper title of doctor. "It can be considered as semi-vintage as it has nearly been a decade since it came out. Also, most our vintage game selection consists of single player games, it would be better to actually beat all of you, not just by getting a higher score."

"You ain't going to beat me," Raj said, taking a large bite from his pizza, "Yoshi and I will crush all of you!" The astrophysicist dramatically bolted from his spot and pointed at each of them, "you will all witness the wrath of Koothra-Yoshi!"

Howard scowled at his best friend, "who even said you get to call dibs on Yoshi? You should be Peach, since you like her so much."

Raj scoffed, walking towards the Wii and putting the game inside. "Just because I have a preference for Peach, doesn't mean I want to use her character all the time! And besides, I like Daisy, too, but I'm seriously having the Yoshi vibes."

"I still don't understand why you get to be Yoshi," Howard sneered, "I wanted to be Yoshi!"

Sheldon raised an eyebrow, planning to join in the discussion, "actually, none of you get to play Yoshi, as _I_ want to be Yoshi. But I do recommend Mario or Luigi for both of you."

"But I make a great Yoshi impression!" Howard turned to the twins who were watching him carefully, and Sheldon rolled his eyes. "Yoshi! Yoshi!"

"That's like the only thing he says," Leonard pointed out, standing to get something from the fridge. "Well, I can also do a Mario impression." Howard cleared his throat, then proceeded to imitate the Italian Plumber, placing a finger under his nose to create a mustache. "Hello! It's-a-me-ya, Mario!"

"Uncah Howad funny!" Maddie laughed, clapping along with Andy, causing Howard to grin. He always loved children, and wanted some of his own. Seeing that the twins enjoyed his impressions made him happy. "Hello, children! My name is Mario, have you seen Peach? I think that Bowser took her again!"

Sheldon snorted, what was so fun about impersonating a plumber that these children didn't even know? "Your impressions aren't even close to sounding like Mario. Wario, maybe, or Waluigi, but not Mario."

Raj scowled, "dude why do you have to ruin the fun?" He turned to the twins, who were both sporting a small frown. "Sheldon's no fun, isn't he?"

Andy huffed, shaking his blonde head. "Sedon no fun. Uncah Howad fun!"

"Uncah Waj and Wenad fun too!" Maddie nodded in agreement, happily clapping her hands as she turned to Howard. "Uncah Howad do Ma-yoh peas!" Andy grinned, turning to his twin then back at the funny engineer. "Do Osh-ee too, peas!"

"Mario's back! And so is Yoshi!" Howard's smile widened, and Sheldon angrily clutched the napkin in his hands. There was no point in getting frustrated. So, what if he wasn't fun? He was still better than the three of his friends combined, and that was way better than being considered as 'fun' by toddlers. He had other things to get worked up about, like not seeing William Shatner, or making sure that his grant proposal was better than Kripke's, and finishing his Lego Death Star. Children's opinions did not bother him one bit.

How he wished that these last four days would just fly by as quickly as they could.

* * *

**Saturday;** 2 days until end of task.

* * *

Leonard was certain that there was something wrong with his roommate.

Sheldon had suddenly diverted his entire attention to finishing his Lego death Star, and when he wasn't doing that, he was typing away on his laptop. He did that in between taking care of the twins, which seemed to be doing pretty well. Sheldon had even managed to get the twins to eat vegetables! In addition to that, his roommate hadn't complained even once, and it shocked him greatly. He had originally envisioned Sheldon breaking down from the very first hour of taking care of the twins, but he was totally mistaken. It had already been four days and aside from the melancholic day that William Shatner visited the comic book store, Sheldon had zero problems with the arrangement.

And that was exactly Leonard's problem.

It was next to impossible for Sheldon to not have _any_ opinions whatsoever regarding taking care of the twins. Sheldon wasn't even bragging about how great he was at babysitting! Not since the first day of Sheldon taking over. How was it possible that Sheldon would miss an opportunity at gloating? It wasn't! And that confused him to a great extent! The physicist had been unusually silent since Thursday night, and it worried him. Because of Sheldon being a fan of homeostasis, he knew that he did not like change of any kind, so he would understand if the twins' arrival upset him in some way. However, it had been nearly three weeks since the twins came, and he also knew that Sheldon had finally grown accustomed to them. He no longer complained (as much) about them lodging with them, and he didn't bring up cargos to France like he always did. Sheldon even bought the twins their own superhero themed sippy cups after he ruthlessly threw out their bottles a few days before.

What really bothered him, was Sheldon's behavior towards the twins.

Up until Thursday night, Sheldon had been showing signs of being fond of the twins. He bought them sippy cups, their own Flash dolls and he had even took them out for ice cream. He even stopped calling them those horrible nicknames he assigned them, and as brats. Sheldon even went out of his way to eat alongside the twins whenever he could, and even seemed to be a bit less rigid with them. Then Thursday rolled in, and there came a drastic change in the dynamic between Sheldon and the twins. While he had been a bit kinder and more sensitive to the twins, he had suddenly reverted to being distant to them. Whenever the twins tried to talked to him to express their thoughts and share with him the new things they learned, he literally ignored them. And when he did pay attention to them, he gave them a blank stare then quickly disregarded them, which deeply upset the children.

It was as if the past four days hadn't happen, and they were back to when the twins first arrived. He didn't think that Sheldon hated the twins, but it seemed more like something was bothering him. He was acting indifferently towards them, and he didn't even try to hide it. Just yesterday when he was building his Lego Death Star, Maddie came up and offered to help. Sheldon glared at her, and told the toddler to, "mind your own business." This, of course, had saddened the toddler, and made them decide to not interfere with the Lego building anymore. Leonard found it sad that the three returned to square one, and he also found the reason _why_ Sheldon acted that way to be very confusing.

He knew that it was because of the twins saying that he wasn't fun. And up until now, he was astounded that Sheldon cared about someone else's (other than his own) opinion for once. But Sheldon didn't just care, he was heavily affected by it. All of his actions towards the twins since Thursday was an example of his being upset about their opinion. Had the twins not rubbed the fact that he wasn't fun in his face, Sheldon would be talking to them. Not that he was saying that it was the twins' fault! They didn't know that saying that would hurt Sheldon, and kids say a lot of things! Except they never lie... but that wasn't the point! The point was, that he wanted to show Sheldon that the twins liked him, even if wasn't fun. In truth, the twins loved Sheldon (fun or not) and they were just as troubled with Sheldon distancing himself to them. So, he called the only person he knew who could help.

"So, you're saying that, because of it, Sheldon's gotten all mopey?"

Leonard nodded, if it wasn't true then he wouldn't be worrying right now. "It's not even funny how Sheldon looks so melancholic and upset. He turned into some sort of robot, that only does what he needs to do for the twins, then goes back to what he was originally doing. It's kind of sad."

"But weren't you the ones who called him robotic?" Penny asked, taking a bite of her french bread. "Isn't it normal for Sheldon to be, uh, robotic?"

"No, not really. These past few days, Sheldon seemed to be a lot more lively—didn't you notice it whenever we called you?"

The blonde stared at Leonard, wondering if he was hearing himself right. "Were you even there? Sheldon barely even talked to me, how would I even notice it? And when he does, it's pure insults about my kids and how he wants them gone. Why would I care if he's upset?"

"Because you're friends?" Leonard answered as Penny frowned at him; he was getting frowned at by a lot of people nowadays. Sheldon and Penny, to name a few. "But that's not the point, Penny. I need your advice on it, and I need it quick cause he's going to wake up any minute now."

"Well, you're the one who keeps on changing the subject, Leonard. But go ahead, I'll listen. But this better be not about Sheldon, cause I'm getting sick of him and his attitude."

"It is, but he's not that bad." The blonde groaned from the screen. "Just listen, please? It's not bad as you think."

"Anything concerning Sheldon and the twins is bad, Leonard. But go on."

"You see, because of the twins saying that Sheldon's not fun, he suddenly became like this. And it really worries me, because both you and I know that Sheldon rarely cares about _anyone's_ opinion, yet he's upset because of it. Plus, he's really been warming up to the twins! He's the one who's giving them a bath, and he always eats together with them." Leonard watched the shock that was evident on Penny's face. However, she didn't need to know that the only reason Sheldon was actually taking care of the twins was because he dared him to do it for a week. That would ruin any progress that might happen today. "He even took them out for ice cream the other day—though, don't mention that, cause that's also the day that he missed William Shatner, and he might take that against you."

Penny blinked at the new information on Sheldon's progress with the twins. She couldn't believe what she was hearing; Sheldon actually caring for her kids? Holy crap on a cracker! "Wait, so you're saying that Sheldon actually cares for my children, and that because of them saying that he isn't fun, he's gotten depressed?"

Leonard thought for a moment; it was something like that. Also, this conversation with Penny was going south of nowhere. "Yup, that's pretty much it. So what do you suggest?"

"With how he acts around my kids, he deserves to get insulted. If that isn't what you wanted to hear, just talk to him, that's all I can say." Penny raised her arm slightly, then frantically looked around. "Oh crap, I'm late for my next scene!" Leonard watched the screen as Penny bolted up from her seat in what appeared to be a cafe, and started collecting her things. "I'll talk to you later, Leonard! And don't forget, just talk to Sheldon!"

"Penny, wait—" and the call was disconnected. That conversation really didn't help at all. Why did he even think of asking advice from Penny, in the first place? That conversation would probably enter his hall of fame of ideas that were stupid. Penny really didn't help at all.

"Leonard, good morning." He turned towards the hall where Sheldon stood eyeing him carefully. Had Sheldon heard his entire conversation with Penny? "How was your sleep?"

"Uh, it was okay," Leonard slowly closed his laptop and pushed it away from him. "And how was your sleep?" Sheldon raised an eyebrow as he made his way to the kitchen, "satisfactory, as always. Will you please move, as I will be watching Dr. Who?"

"Sure," the experimental physicist got up, and moved to the beige armchair. "Are you excited for our robot fight, later?"

Sheldon placed a bowl on the counter, and grinned at him. It was the first time he'd seen his roommate actually smile since the events of Thursday. "Why yes! My Sheldroid will surely beat all of your puny robots, and I will be declared as the first victor of Robot Wars. The entire park will stare at awe in my wonderful robot." Then Sheldon, paused, and started to tense, his smile literally dropping from his face. "Are we required to bring the children?"

Leonard nodded, and he saw Sheldon wince. "Of course, if we don't, you'll have to stay here with them." There was a soft grumble, and Leonard wished that he had Vulcan hearing like Sheldon. "Very well, I guess there's nothing I can do about it." Sheldon made his way to his spot, and turned to him, "but make sure that you get those children out of my way."

Today was going to be a long day.

* * *

"Punch him Wolobot!" Howard yelled, furiously smashing buttons on his controller. "Punch him down to the ground!" The brown human shaped robot wheeled in towards a similar shaped, purple colored robot, and swung it's arm right at the top. "Hell yeah! Defeat that stupid girly thing!"

Raj scoffed, flicking a hidden switch that was on the bottom of his controller. "No, Roboppali, stand up! Fight! Don't let that bully take you down! If you win I'll give you a color change, fuchsia maybe!" The purple robot slowly bent upwards, and started wheeling towards the brown robot.

"Oh no," Howard muttered, forcing his robot to dodge the shove that Raj's robot was about to give him. "Wolobot, I swear if you lose I will turn you into my mother's blood pressure monitor!"

Leonard adjusted his glasses as he watched the best friends fighting with their robots. "Gee, the trash talk in this competition is amazing." Sheldon nodded from his spot on the picnic table, gently attaching another block to the Lego Death Star. "Yes, as the saying goes, their mothers are so bad at robot wars, their mothers aren't even allowed to join anymore." The theoretical physicist chuckled breathily, and Leonard simply shook his head. "I can't believe you actually brought your Death Star with you. Aren't you going to join the Robot Wars? Your Sheldroid looks pretty intimidating. Maybe even as intimidating as my Hoftaborg."

Sheldon glared at his smirking roommate, checking the manual then attaching another block to his Death Star. "Your trash talk is getting rusty, Leonard. And yes, I will be joining as my Sheldroid has been preparing for this very day that he beats all of you. I simply brought my Death Star along as the rules in Raj's challenge states that I must finish it in his presence." He gestured towards Raj who was screaming at Howard, "I am in his presence, and so I may finish it now."

Leonard shrugged, and took a seat across Sheldon, the Lego Death Star blocking his roommate's face. "Why is there even a rule like that?"

"Something about me cheating," Sheldon peeked from the side of the Death Star, scowling at his roommate. "Which is confusing as, how would I even cheat? Do I possess some sort of otherworldly powers that somehow constructs Lego models? Or a machine that does the same thing?"

"Is it possible to buy a pre-built Lego Death Star?"

"Well yes, but what's the fun in that?" Sheldon attached the final block and grinned, leaning back to marvel at his finished Lego model. He could already smell the sweet scent of victory, and his signed, fiberglass made Silversurfer surfboard. Once he has collected his prize, he would probably take this with him on his next visit to Texas, and give it to his Meemaw. Meemaw would love to see this. "Look at it, Leonard. Isn't it marvelous?"

Leonard smiled in agreement, standing up and examining the Lego made ship. "I gotta admit, it looks pretty awesome. How long did it take Raj to finish his?" Sheldon crossed his arms, still smirking at his masterpiece. "Nine days, thirteen hours."

"How long did it take for you to finish yours?"

"Six days, fifteen hours." Sheldon was filled with pride, he was going to put his new signed surfboard above the bookshelf behind the couch. It would be nice to be above his desk or his bed, but it might fall and kill him. He wasn't going to take that risk. "Can you already imagine how cool the surfboard will look in our living room? Our collection only gets better and better." He slowly rotated the Death Star, then turned to where Howard and Raj were arguing. "Did the trash talk get too personal? Like saying that Mrs. Wolowitz doesn't sit on a bench while watching Robot Wars, she sits _around_ the bench?"

"No, nothing like that," Leonard flinched as Howard angrily threw the controller on the ground, and picked the dented brown robot before marching towards them. "Did you see that? Raj cheated! He intentionally made his stupid Koothrash to roll over my foot just so he could beat me!"

Raj joined them, smugly grinning as his purple robot wheeled around the picnic table. "I didn't cheat, Howard's just a sore loser. My beautiful Roboppali lost control and bumped him before turning Wolobot to the ground!" He astrophysicist punched the air and Howard growled at him. "You are a giant cheater Raj, and you know it." The engineer hissed as he placed his robot beside Sheldon's Death Star, eyeing the dent near the side where the brown paint was chipped off. "By the way, where are the twins?"

Leonard pointed to the clear patch of grass, where Andy and Maddie were busy playing with a multicolored ball. "Twins! Hey, come over here!" The two blonde toddlers, paused at rolling the ball, and turned to the experimental physicist and grinned. Maddie picked the ball up, before running towards the picnic table where the adults sat. "Uncah Wenad! We pay with obot, too?" Andy asked once they reached the picnic table. "Obot wook fun!"

"You can't play with them, yet." Raj said, placing his robot on top of the bench. "Only adults like us can play with the robots."

"Cheating adults," Howard sneered, glaring at the purple robot at the opposite side of the table. Raj turned to his best friend, his hands on his hips and his lips still in it's previous smirk. "Oh come on, Howard, just let it go. You lost, deal with it, and I get your Marvel Civil War collection. Stop being a sore loser."

Sheldon raised an eyebrow as he set his Sheldroid on the grass, "Raj, which reminds me, I finished my Death Star under six days and and fifteen hours. I'd like to get the surfboard on our way back home." Raj paled, staring at Sheldon with wide eyes. "You finished it? Under six days? You must have cheated, dude!" He started flailing his arms around, and Howard found himself smirking. "Wasn't it you who said to deal with it? Stop being a sore loser, Raj, flailing your arms like that makes you look like Magikarp."

"Leonard, is your worthless robot ready to fight my obviously superior Sheldroid?" Sheldon grabbed his controller, making the red robot move to where Raj and Howard had been previously standing. A green colored robot then wheeled towards Sheldon's, and he turned to see Leonard fumbling with his controller as he made his way to the clearing. "Your robot isn't the only one to be superior."

Sheldon was about to do a round of trash talking Leonard when he felt something tugging at his shirt. He looked down and found the twins staring at him with wonder. "What do you two want, now?"

Andy blinked up at him, a wide smile forming on his face. "Pay with obot, too, peas?" Of course! They only liked him when they could get something from him. When it was about something they wanted, they always went to him, but when they knew they couldn't get what they wanted, they'd go to the others. How annoying. There was still two days before he could finally detach himself from these infuriating children. He had a theory that they only reason they were here was to annoy him to a great extent, and they were doing a great job at it. That would explain why they always tried to talk to him. "No, you may not. These are for adults, not for twaddling children. Now, go elsewhere and stop bothering me."

With a small cluck of his tongue, he left the frowning toddlers and continued his way to stand in front of Leonard, who was sporting a frown of his own. "Sheldon, what was that all about? You could have been a bit nicer. They're kids."

"Why must I be nice when they're the ones intruding my personal space?" The physicist uninterestedly said, pressing a button to make his robot move. The red robot wheeled towards the green one, and bumped it roughly. "I find it annoying how you and Penny continuously badger me on how I treat the children who I have no obligations of dealing with. Why must I be the one to adjust to them living with us, when they should be the one to be mindful of me?" Sheldon snarled, making his robot smash itself against Leonard's. "Why am I always seen as the one in the wrong when I have done nothing wrong? I never asked for these children to live with us! And why must I always be criticized for not behaving favorably towards them? I only met those children three weeks ago! There's no way I'd possibly be more than acquaintances with them. I may be accustomed to them being here, but that does not mean that I _like_ them being here, Leonard." He flicked a switch on the controller and made his robot ram itself on the green robot, causing it to topple over. "And it does not mean that I will suddenly like children."

Leonard gawked as his Hofstaborg tipped over to it's side, a dent the size of a volleyball etched at the front. He wasn't sure if his eyes was seeing right, but he could see light smoke coming from the motor of his robot. He was also shocked at Sheldon's sudden outburst. "Did you eavesdrop on my conversation with Penny?"

The green robot made a wiggling movement, then it landed back on it's wheels. Before it could move, however, the red robot was back, and smashed into it. "I do not eavesdrop. I just so happened to come out right when you were talking to her." Sheldon pushed a red button that made the Sheldroid's metal sides to lift, revealing a set of robot arms that extended and slammed straight into the Hofstaborg's robot face. "I truly fail to understand why all of you are mad whenever I try to reprimand the twins. I'm not doing it for me, I'm doing it for them. Partially."

"Are you seriously that upset about the twins saying that you're not fun?" Leonard asked as the Sheldroid came in for another body slam; it wasn't looking good for the Hofstaborg. "I know the twins can be a bit... insensitive and straightforward," Leonard looked up, glancing at the tight frown on Sheldon's face as the Hofstaborg started to fight back. He wasn't lying about the twins coming off as insensitive and straightforward—much like someone he knew all too well—but it rarely did surface. The twins' pros outweighed their cons. "And I know that they seem as if they don't like you as much as they like us, but in reality they do like you. They're just not that familiar with you yet." He flinched when the Sheldroid jabbed his robot again, but quickly snapped out of it and took advantage of the red robot's arm getting stuck in the Hoftaborg's design. Once he successfully made the red robot trip, he glanced at the twins who were playing ball with the other two. "When they first learned how to draw, they drew Penny a picture of a bowl of noodles with giant glasses. That was supposed to be me, but I didn't mind it, cause they're just kids. They don't really mean what they said."

"Kids who can't seem to appreciate my generosity." Sheldon sneered, forcing his robot to get up and slam into Leonard's again. "Have you noticed how they don't call me uncle? Not that I want them to, I just find it insulting how they all call you that as a sign of respect and can't even call me doctor. They never even thank me for anything! I went out of my way to waste my time by talking to them—when, clearly, I could be doing something far more important—and even brought them out to get ice cream. Did I get a thank you? I did not, thank you very much. What I did get was them saying that I was 'no fun' and that they preferred all of you, instead of me." The Sheldroid wheeled back, effectively dodging the Hoftsaborg's jabs, then spun around, and slammed into the green robot's side.

"The reason why they don't call you uncle is because..." Leonard furrowed his eyebrows, moving his lips to the side as he thought of what he was about to say. There was a good reason to why that was, but he was sure that Sheldon wasn't ready to know it yet. Not when he was all upset and melancholic. The truth was meant for a later date, when everything (and everyone) would be ready for it. But any explanation he could think of would somehow lead to a path where Sheldon would ask about the father. "They've known us way before the day the first arrived. You know that we've been hanging out with Penny since last year, and we even invited you. Several times, and you never agreed to come with us."

Leonard looked up and saw a dark, unreadable expression on Sheldon's face. Uh oh. "Why would I even agree to meet with the person I despised the most?" There was a certain kind of vehemence in his roommate's tone, but he wasn't sure if it was of anger or of something else. "And I just realized that, none of you ever told me that Penny had children. Why is that?"

Uh oh. "Well, if you just came with us then you would have known. Howard, Bernadette, Raj, Penny and I, we all hung out. The twins were there, too, and we always asked you to go, and you always said no. By your tenth no, we decided to no longer invite you, since we figured that you'd keep on rejecting our offer. That's why the twins all call us uncle, cause we're their uncles."

Sheldon snorted, returning his focus back into the game as the Hoftsaborg pushed against his red robot. "Not surprising. They do seem to prefer all of you over me."

"Sheldon, listen," Leonard sighed, both in exasperation at trying to convince Sheldon that the twins _did_ like him, and in acknowledging that his robot was about to get destroyed. "The twins really do like you, and I know that you know that, cause they're always trying to impress you and talk to you. Just because they find you not fun, doesn't mean that they don't like you. You've only known each other for three weeks, you still have time to change their minds. It takes time and a lot of effort to fully get to know someone, and that also applies to you and the twins." There was one last clash of metal, then the green robot fell to the ground. He was going to have to spend hours of fixing that. "How long did it take for you to consider me as a friend?"

The theoretical physicist pursed his lips, thinking about the answer to his roommate's question. "Give or take one year."

"See? A year—wait? A year?" Leonard repeated, and Sheldon nodded. "What do you mean a year? We're roommates and we see each other everyday, how could you have not considered me as a friend before a year?"

"Like you said," Sheldon turned his controller off, walking towards his robot. "It takes a lot of time and effort to fully know someone. Although, we lived together, it took up to a year before I finally memorized your idiosyncrasies. And when I did, I then mentally declared you as my friend. About another year later, I decided you to be my best friend. Don't you feel honored?"

Leonard crossed his arms, still surprised at the revelation. "Geez, I thought that you'd say a month or something." Sheldon shrugged, lifting his red robot and inspecting the dents it had. "But enough of that. See? It took a while for you to even consider me as a friend; naturally, it will take a while for the twins to fully know you. You know some facts about them, but mainly because of what Penny wrote. They don't know anything about you, other than you're not fun. But it's only been three weeks since they've lodged with us, and four days since you actually started to get to know them. And be a bit nicer, cause kids, especially toddlers, wouldn't hve a clue to why you're so hard on them. Who knows, maybe after a week or so, they'll get to know you more, and you'll get to prove to them that you're fun. Maybe, even funner than me."

Sheldon stayed still for a moment, before sending his roommate an amused smile. Though, he found Leonard's speech to be a bit irrelevant, he did pick up something of it. It was foolish of him to be stricken by them saying that he wasn't fun. They didn't know him yet, and they had no basis other than them no comprehending the most basic of games. He wasn't going to let Howard, Raj or Leonard to outdo him! Not only was he going to prove that he was the funnest of the four of them, but he was going to show his friends that he was the better of all of them. By the time the twins leave 4A, they were going to be smarter, wiser, and most all, consider him as the greatest person on earth. "Leonard, I must say, though I find your classic pep talks to be a bit redundant, they do change the atmosphere of an intense battle. And though it heavily pains me to admit it, but you're somewhat right. They don't fully know me yet, and thus they have basis for their claims. Therefore, I shall give some of my time to show them that I _am_ fun. And greater than all three of you combined."

Leonard imitated his smile, picking the trashed robot from the ground. "That's the spirit, Sheldon. Show them how it's done."

"Oh, I will, and it will surprise all of you. We all know that I am Homo Novus and that—" Sheldon's cheerful demeanor dropped as he turned to where the picnic table was, and he felt time slow down. There, south of the table was a multicolored ball flying in mid air, slowly descending towards his just finished Lego Death Star. In an instant, the ball collided with the left side of the Death Star and suddenly, hundreds of Lego pieces went flying towards various directions. Had the circumstances been different, Sheldon would have found it mildly funny how time seemed to slow down at that very moment. But it was not funny, at all. And as he ran to towards the picnic table, screaming, he also noticed how two blue eyed children were seemingly guilty of the act. Were they the reason why his masterpiece was destroyed?

"What in the world happened?!" Sheldon bellowed, his eyes darting at Howard then at Raj, and then at the two toddlers standing behind the two adults.

Raj fidgeted, nervously glancing at the twins, then at Howard. "Uh, it was an accident... We were playing ball, then And-Howard hit the ball too hard and it flew here." Howard shot Raj a look, then sighed, turning towards Sheldon who did not look happy. But then again, seeing something you worked on for six days straight get destroyed like a building getting demolished via wrecking ball was not a sight anyone would be ecstatic to see. Unless, of course, that 'anyone' owed someone a limited edition signed collectible for finishing it under six days. "Yeah, sorry Sheldon, I didn't mean to destroy it."

Sheldon stared at Howard in disbelief; how could he be so calm about this? Didn't he understand the value of what he had just destroyed? "You didn't mean to? Do you even know what you've done? You've ruined it! And I was planning on sending it to my Memmaw, too!"

Leonard jogged towards them, worried for his roommate who had seemingly blew a fuse. "Sheldon, calm down. We'll just help in on fixing it."

"None of you understand the gravity of this entire situation!" Sheldon hissed, waving his arms around and gesturing to the broken Death Star then to himself. "None of you know how it feels to see something you worked so hard on get destroyed because of something so avoidable that even a bird could dodge it!" He placed a hand over his forehead, pinching his temples lightly to try and calm him down. "This is the North Pole all over again!"

"Oh dear god, he's lost it." Howard muttered as Sheldon stomped around the picnic table, getting even angrier with every second that passed. "He has finally lost it."

Andy watched the fuming adult hiss at the other three adults in silence, cowering behind Howard's legs in fear. It was his fault that the ball had flew so high that Raj couldn't catch it anymore, and he wanted to say sorry, but he was too afraid of Sheldon to apologize. Maddie turned to him, an unsure look on her face. "Andy, say soh-ee to Sedon. Andy did dis, so say soh-ee."

"But Sedon scawy," Andy whispered, flinching as Sheldon started yelling at Howard. "Sedon get mad at Andy."

"But Sedon get mad at Uncah Howad, so Andy say soh-ee." Maddie gave her twin a small shove, and Andy sighed. He didn't want Sheldon to get at Howard when he was the one who destroyed the Death Star. He took one last worried glance at his twin, who was pointing at the adults, and mustered up all the confidence he had to march up to Sheldon.

"—the problem is that none of you ever understand that it affects me greatly!"

"Sheldon, stop yelling, the twins are just there."

"Look, I'll fix it for you, I promise. I'll do it in one day, and you'll still get the surfboard."

"I'll still get the surfboard, dude. Calm down! You won, right?"

"See? This is the problem. Do all of you really gain satisfaction from my misery?" Sheldon snarled picking up the fallen Legos on the table and dumping them inside the container they were originally in. He wasn't going to say it out loud, but completing something on his own gave him a great deal of satisfaction. He absolutely _did not_ want them to help in any way, because that would mean that he wouldn't get to take all the credit. It was frustrating to even think that he was to rebuild everything all over again. "Six days... all gone." With a small sigh, he plopped down on the bench and felt a hand on his lap. He stared at the tiny hand, and followed it to see that it was Andy.

"What?" Sheldon tried not to sound too harsh, like Leonard said, and turned his body to face the toddler. He studied the male toddler's face, based on his recent observations on facial expressions, he looked nervous, and guilty as well. Eyebrows furrowed, baby teeth lightly clenched, and tiny feet shuffling on the grass. Andy frowned, then looked up at him, and it reminded him of Penny when she had stained his cushion, and after the Chancellor's Award—the one event he no longer wanted to remember. "Is there something you want?"

"Andy," the toddler pointed to himself, "ih-eeeh-is," he excitedly turned to Maddie who was nodding, "soh-eee—so-soh-soh-wee." Sheldon raised an eyebrow, half shocked that the kid tried to pronounce it properly, and half shocked that he was right that the toddler seemed guilty. "Andy ee-_is_ soh-wee dat Andy bah-woke da det stah! Andy beh-wee soh-wee." Then Andy clapped his hands together, dropped to the ground and... groveled. "Peas foh-gev Andy!"

Sheldon stared at the toddler with wide eyes, his previous anger disappearing and replaced with bewilderment. He really wanted to get angry at the toddler for yet again, ruining his day, but he found it hard to do so. Instead, he felt some odd sympathy for the kid, and sighed. It really confused him how these children could so easily affect him, they were complete strangers yet he felt a weird connection with them that he could not explain. Was this what his sister meant by 'everyone loves babies?' But Bernadette did not like children... well, she seemed to like the twins. Maybe, it was just these twin specifically who were likable. Or, maybe they were starting to change his opinion on childre—no, it must have been the former. Him liking the idea of children was next to slightly improbable, and only changed whenever his mother demanded that he give her grandchildren. Which meant that... (he winced at the thought) he was starting to like... the twins. Drat.

"Stand up," he calmly said, placing his hands on both sides of the toddler and lifting him to his feet. "You've been forgiven. Now, go along and play."

Andy blinked, wiping away a few tears that had formed with his sleeve. "Sedon foh-give Andy?" Sheldon nodded, grabbing his wet wipes from his bag and wiping the toddler's dirt stained hands. "Yes, I forgive you. Don't make me repeat myself."

"But Sedon sad!" Maddie exclaimed, running towards them. "Sedon want Maddie sing sof' kitty?"

_Soft kitty?_

"Why do you know soft kitty...?" He thought for a moment, then came into conclusion that Penny must have thought the song to her children. How unoriginal, but he would let it pass. Soft Kitty was a great song that always made him feel better, and he wouldn't deny these children of something so great. As long as they only used it for it's proper use. "Soft kitty is only for when you're sick, I'm not sick." He told them, and the twins nodded in response. "I am well, so please, do go on with whatever you were doing prior to this."

"Sedon okay?" Andy asked, just to make sure.

"I'm okay." Sheldon sent them both a small smile before they happily scurried off to the clearing. Well that was over and done with.

"Where do you think Andy learned how to do that?" He heard Leonard asked from the opposite side of the table.

"Hmm, it might have been when I turned the channel to Lifetime. There was a movie playing there that I really wanted to see." Raj answered in thought. "I do recall a scene in the movie where the girl begged on her knees for the guy to forgive her when she thought he was cheating on her. The twins might have seen that."

"Hey, who cares? Sheldon seems okay," Howard remarked, relieved that he wouldn't be blamed anymore. "Just get him the surfboard, and we'll all be okay."

"Actually," Sheldon interrupted, standing up and walking over towards them. "I am okay with the children, not with the two of you who seemed to have thought that playing catch next to my Death Star was a good idea." He sent Howard and Raj a dark look, frightening both the engineer and the astrophysicist in the process. "We're going to have a serious discussion on how the two of you are going to handle this tragic situation."

Leonard chuckled as Sheldon started barking out orders for the two to pick up and clean each and every Lego piece that fell onto the grass. Seeing how Sheldon easily forgave the twins gave him a huge sense of relief. He was worried for nothing, and he hoped that Sheldon would start warming up to the twins. The twins did love Sheldon, and he could sense that his roommate was already starting to like them, too.

* * *

Sheldon stepped back as he and Leonard admired the shiny, silver, signed, limited edition Silversurfer surfboard that securely hung above the bookshelf behind their couch.

His hard work _definitely_ paid off.

"I gotta admit, Sheldon, you were right about it looking cool." Leonard remarked, grinning at the new addition to their collection. "Actually, it's more than cool—it's awesome!" He saw his roommate nod in agreement before returning to his spot, "like I told you before, the fruit of one's labor is so much sweeter than just buying it off eBay."

"So, what's going to happen with your Broken Death Star?" Leonard asked as he took a seat on the armchair, grabbing the remote to turn the tv on. "Are you going to finish it again?" He started flipping channels, then chose one by random. It was playing one of those gossip channels that Raj loved to watch.

"I might, but not now," Sheldon answered, frowning at Leonard's choice of channel. "Raj said that he would finish the Death Star for me, and that'll be the one I'll bring back to my Meemaw. Why are we watching this show?" The experimental physicist raised the volume, glancing at Sheldon then back at the tv. "It's that gossip show that Raj always talks about. They might have something on Penny."

Sheldon rolled his eyes, he would never understand Leonard's obsession with the blonde. "You talk to her twice a day. I believe you'll get more information by asking her personally than from an inane show that knows nothing else than making money via exploiting other people's welfare and daily activities." The host said something about another celebrity rumored to get married that month, then several people started to pitch in on their opinions. What a waste of time. "How do you even know what this show is about?"

"I shared an office with Koothrappali," Leonard nodded in understanding, and Sheldon continued. "There was hardly a day where he didn't babble about irrelevant rumors about people I don't even know. Who cares if the so called 'brangelina' had more children? I'd more interested if they had discovered a new element, but no, all Raj talks about is who is supposedly dating who. I'm glad to finally have gotten my own office." Leonard waved his hand dismissively, then pointed to the tv. "It's Penny! It's Penny, shut up!"

The tv showed Penny walking down a street, nearly getting swarmed by people with cameras. She stopped when a passerby started talking to her, and the show's reporter started talking. "Penny! Hey, how are you liking Paris?" Once Penny took a picture with one of the people, she went on to sign autographs. "It's great! I'm really loving the food, and Paris is such a beautiful city. It's impossible not to love being here." The blonde smiled for the camera, then continued signing more autographs. "How are your twins doing? My camera loves and misses your kids!" Penny laughed lightly, moving on to take more pictures with her fans. "The twins are doing great. Tell your camera that the twins loves and misses it, too!" A male fan suddenly dropped to his knees holding up a rose to the blonde.

"Penny, will you marry me?" The fan asked with a heavy French accent. Penny smiled warmly at the fan, taking the rose and placing it in a pocket at the front of her coat before patting his cheek lightly as he stood up. "My first proposal caught on camera! Neat!" There was laughter, followed by Penny taking a picture with the fan then hugging him. "I wish I could say yes, but you'd have to go through my kids first." She then continued walking, and the paparazzi followed after her. "Penny! Penny! One last question, is is true that you're secretly dating your co-star?" Penny laughed, again, "that's a secret!" Without anything else said, she walked into a closed off part of the street, where the camera zoomed in and showed the supposed other actors of the film Penny was working on.

"That must have been this morning," Leonard commented as the camera panned to show another part of the set. "That was what she was wearing when I called her."

"That Penny really is busy, huh?" One of the hosts said to the other people in the room. "Just last month she was shooting her show, now she's shooting a movie! She's nominated for an Emmy, too, right?" A man with dreadlocks was focused on, nodding, "yeah, that girl is really on fire. No wonder she's been dubbed 'the Penny that changed Hollywood.' Based on the online polls, she's even going head to head with Mila Kunis and Scarlett Johansson. Which is pretty impressive, cause she's only been in the business for a year now."

The main host was focused on again, checking a clipboard. "That is impressive. Did she have a sex tape or something? Her rise to fame was pretty quick, plus I'm looking at her feedback, and it's pretty positive. Did she donate millions of dollars to a third world country?" A woman was focused on, frowning at the main host. "Not everyone who gets famous has had a sex tape, Harvey. People just found her really interesting, and no, she didn't donate anything big, yet. I don't think there's anything negative about her, so far." A gruff looking man was focused on, reading a piece of paper. "I think she's pretty hot. The only thing that blocks that, is the fact that she already has two kids." The tv showed a picture of Penny walking down a street, with the twins happily skipping beside her. "Two kids is a lot of baggage for one man, you know. But other than those kids—who is gaining a lot of popularity with the magazines—I think she's the hottest actress out there right now."

"Does anyone know who those twins' dad is?" Another man piped in, causing one of the women to throw a crumpled piece of paper at him. "What? I'm just curious, cause no one ever mentioned anything about him!"

The woman snarled at the man, "Penny had said before that the kids' dad was a very private person who isn't part of the industry. And what the heck is up with guys asking that question? There ain't nothing wrong with being a single mother, ya hear? Plus, with kids that cute, I don't really care." The man held up his hands in defense, and the main host was shaking his head. "I never understand how fights start in this office. So, I heard that there was some new gossip on George Clooney?"

Leonard changed the channel, somewhat insulted because of the show. "What's so wrong about having kids? How exactly is that a negative thing?"

Sheldon raised an eyebrow at him, confused on what his roommate was so mad about. "Well, some men seem to be put off by the idea of dating a woman who already has children. Like Penny. I haven't seen a study about that—and no plans of doing so—therefore, the only basis I have for my statement is what that man said. Nevertheless, I also find it intriguing how one having children is considered as a setback. What I don't understand is how they can't seem to find a single fault in Penny. If they'd like, I can give them a few."

"You're not going to do that, Sheldon," Leonard growled, sending his roommate a look of disapproval. "But really, I think there's nothing bad about single mothers!"

"Your reaction towards this is somehow puzzling. Maybe your mother has already written something about that?"

"I doubt that my mother would." Leonard grabbed his mother's latest book from the end table and tossed it to Sheldon. "She doesn't really write anything optimistic, and writes more of why humans are horrible. In the dust jacket, she even mentions how living life as a normal commoner is worse than getting electrocuted while taking a shower." Sheldon opened the book, then nodded once he confirmed his roommate's statement. "Yes, well all I can say is that there really isn't anything good stemming from those kinds of shows. Koothrappali's research must have came to a dead end because he was too busy catching up on whatever a Kardashian is, instead of looking through a telescope. Surely, now you will have learned your lesson?"

"I just got insulted cause Penny is my friend," the experimental physicist defended. How dense could Sheldon be? "They basically said that Penny isn't desirable just because she has kids. Everything else is a better reason than that!"

Sheldon mentally snickered; how pathetic could Leonard get? So, he was right that Leonard still had some kind of romantic feelings for the blonde. Therefore his hunch was right, and that meant that his plan to foil Leonard's plans was still in motion. In all honesty, he had thought different, that Leonard had finally given up on Penny, due to his recent actions of barely talking about her. But there, right before his very eyes was proof that Leonard really was only babysitting the twins to get back together with Penny! Point for Cooper. "I highly doubt that you'd be less insulted if they said that Penny's negative attributes were speaking with her mouth full, or being a moocher. Enough of that, though, I am interested in knowing who that father is."

"The father...?" Leonard repeated, eyes widening. "The twins' father?"

"Please do not make me repeat myself, Leonard," Sheldon said, placing his hands on his knees and leaning forward. "The show mentioned that the twins' father was a very private man and was not a celebrity. If I am to continue allowing Penny's children to lodge here, I should at least know who their father is. Do you, perhaps, know who he is?" Sheldon studied Leonard's face carefully; he wanted to know of the bespectacled man was lying or not. He had a hunch that it was Leonard, but the children were nothing like his insufferable, moody roommate. Not through features, or mannerisms, or idiosyncrasies. He could recognize the traits they had inherited from Penny, but there were some that seemed familiar, but he wasn't sure of. And, why would Leonard (if not to get back together with Penny) volunteer to babysit the children for Penny, if not because he was their father? None of it was making sense, and he wanted to know, given the window of opportunity.

"Uh, their dad is... uh... he's... well, he's kind of," Leonard stammered, blinking constantly and avoiding eye contact. Interesting. "He's.. well, how do I put this? Uh... "

"Are you their father?" Sheldon bluntly asked, causing Leonard to pause, then laugh loudly. There was still a chance that this was all a gimmick, so he wasn't going to trust Leonard's reaction. "Of course not! They look _nothing_ like me, and if they were my kids, why would they call me uncle?" He was still not trusting Leonard's reaction, as he was a well experienced liar. Leonard could lie about his entire life story in front of an entire crowd full of psychologists and get away with it. "I can see that you don't believe me, Sheldon. Fine. I have really dark brown eyes. The twins have _blue_ eyes; clear or sky blue to be specific. Based on what I know, if they were my kids, there was a bigger chance that they'd get my eyes instead of Penny's. The clincher is, that Penny has _green_ eyes, therefore, if they were our children, their eyes wouldn't be blue, it would either be green or brown."

Leonard proudly smiled and Sheldon scoffed, causing the smile to drop. Silly Leonard and his lies. "Your statement does not fully prove anything, Leonard. You do know that there are a good percentage of people who started out with blue eyes that gradually changed through the years? Therefore, there is still a big chance that, if they really are your offsprings, their eye color will still change to either brown, or green." Sheldon crossed his arms, leaning back into his spot as he took his turn in smiling smugly. "And, do not forget, if Penny's parents, or yours—once again, if they really are your offsprings—had blue eyes, that is another story. You cannot prove your claim on appearances alone, Leonard."

"You're improbable, you know that?" Leonard growled, shaking his head in disbelief that his roommate was even considered as sane. "And I'm telling you, I'm really not their father."

Sheldon smirked at him, snatching the remote and changing the channel to National Geographic. "Yes, continue on denying it, but we'll know soon enough, Leonard." He mentally chuckled, he was a step closer at foiling Leonard's plans. Muhaha, indeed.

* * *

**Sunday;** 1 day until end of task.

* * *

"You're not gonna join us? Really?" Leonard asked as he strapped on his vest.

Sheldon shook his head from his spot, barely looking at his roommate as he typed. "I'm afraid not. I've just received Kripke's research, and I'm filled with excitement over pointing out all the wrongs." He lifted his laptop slightly, causing Leonard to lean over the couch to see. "I underlined all of the mistakes, and even plan on making it color coded. Green for stupid mistake, but I can look it over; blue for stupid mistake that has to be fixed soon, and red for, how stupid can you get? Fix it, right this instant."

"Wow, you even made a key at the bottom," Leonard remarked, squinting his eyes to recognize the tiny font at the very end. "And there's even correctional foot notes. You know, if you were just a bit less insouciant for strangers, you'd make a great teacher."

"Leonard, please do not insult me at such an early time." Sheldon said as Leonard returned to fixing his paintball gear. "Our agreed start time for insults is at nine. It's seven, and I am still in my pajamas, therefore not insults, yet."

"Sarcasm?" The experimental physicist asked as he brought out his paintball gun from the closet. "Sarcasm is allowed. Now, will you please go on your way and stop bothering me?" He heard his roommate sigh while closing the closet door, "yeah, yeah, I'm going. So, you're going to be okay with the twins?" Sheldon turned his head towards his roommate and raised an eyebrow. "Leonard, I've been taking care of the twins for nearly a week now. How will today be different from any of the other days I've spent babysitting?"

Leonard stared at Sheldon; had he forgotten about what happened last Thursday? If he did, then great! But if he didn't, and remembering the fact that Andy broke his Death Star, then he'd come home to find a receipt from FedEx or something. "You're not mad anymore? At the twins?"

"Why would I be mad?" Sheldon calmly asked and Leonard let it go. He grabbed his duffel bag, and opened the front door. "Alright, then, I'm gonna go now. You sure you don't want to come with us?"

"One, I will not go. Second, if I go then where would we leave the twins at?" They stared at each other; Leonard realizing that Sheldon was right, and Sheldon dumbstruck at how the tiny physicist had forgotten about that important factor. There was another beat of silence before Leonard sighed and left without another word. Silly Leonard forgetting about something so important. Had he remembered that, maybe he would appreciate his effort of asking if he wanted to join them. This would be reflected in the next roommate analysis, on a much more positive note than the last one. Had Leonard not underestimated him, he might have aced his analysis, but due to the aforementioned incident, he would get a b.

Although, unbeknownst to Leonard, he still did have some issues with the infants. Their comments from Thursday still bothered him, and it was annoying. He did forgive Andy for destroying his Lego masterpiece, but really could not bring himself to hate him for it. Not even a little. It was only the 'not fun" comment that made him feel uneasy whenever he was around the children. He would be lying if he said that he wasn't getting even a _little_ bit attached to the twins. He found the apartment oddly quiet whenever they were sleeping, and though he was annoyed when they bothered him, he was no longer as annoyed as he used to be. Frustrating as it was, he could do nothing as his mind had decided that he had... changed his opinion about the twins. Leonard would kill to hear him say that, as to why he kept to himself.

However, if he really did not care about the twins as _some_ people are saying, then he would have not been disturbed by their comment. Look at him, a successful physicist, admitting that he was wrong about something. If he could go back in time (he really needed to invent the time machine) and change something, he would force himself to ignore Leonard's outburst, and refrain from ever agreeing to taking care of the twins. He had a theory that if he never took care of them, he would not feel any connection to them, even if they did still lodge with them. Because if he did agree to babysit, he wouldn't have spent time with them, and had gotten to know them. If he was to give them a specific label of what he thought of them via relationship, they would most likely be considered as his... friends. How utterly disappointing! He was eating his words!

"Sedon?" Sheldon was broken out of his confusing thoughts by Andy's tired voice. He looked around the living room, then settled his eyes to the hallways where the toddler was standing. "Hello. It seems you're awake," the toddler nodded, rubbing a hand against his eye, "what do you want?"

Andy yawned, then shuffled his feet. "Tv, peas?"

"Oh, right, the mentally insane cartoons that practically teach you nothing." He grabbed the remote and switched it to Nickelodeon, where brightly colored animals were talking. He read the title and saw that it was 'Backyardigans.' What a stupid name! How were the twins go to learn with shows like that? "Well, there you go. Don't mind me, I'll be correcting a failure's work." The toddler sauntered towards him, staring up at him as with a pleading look. Sheldon groaned, and peered past his laptop's screen to look at the sleepy toddler. "What? Did I put it on the wrong channel?"

"Maddie, peas." Sheldon raised an eyebrow, trying to comprehend what the child was trying to tell him. He didn't have his twin sister—he was sure that she was sleeping soundly in Leonard's room, probably hugging her Winnie the Pooh doll. Then what did he mean by it? He pursed his lips, opened the PDF version of Penny's email and studied it. "_Andy will throw a tantrum if he doesn't get to watch his cartoons in the morning. He'll also get cranky if Maddie isn't with him, which is tricky since Maddie likes to sleep_." Oh! He had never realized that this one had some sort of separation anxiety with his twin. It figures, they always watched cartoons together, which was probably why he never noticed it until now. "You want me to get Maddie?"

The blonde boy nodded, and he stood up, placing his laptop on the couch and proceeded to get the other blonde toddler. He wasn't going to risk dealing with a toddler, if all he had to do was carry the other twin into the room. He slowly opened the door, and found Maddie sprawled across the bed, an arm wrapped around the stuffed doll, and another hand extended to Andy's side of the bed. She was a heavy sleeper, just like her mother. The male version of Penny—Andy, was a light sleeper, and hated naps, the exact opposite of his twin. He quietly approached the bed and tapped the toddler's shoulder, causing one blue eye to open. "Moh-nin?" She muttered, rubbing her tiny hand against her face. "Yes, it's already morning. Your brother wants to watch television with you. So... wake up."

Maddie opened another eye, blinking twice then yawned, and lifted her arms towards him.

Great, she wanted to be lifted, again. What was with this child and getting carried? Andy often wanted to walk on his own—though, he still stumbled sometimes—but this one always wanted to be carried by one of them. He frowned at her, then sighed, there was no use of hesitating, as he knew that he would do it anyway. He slightly bent down, and scooped her up in his arms. As he returned to his normal posture, the toddler snatched her blanket (which was not Disney for once, and was the horrible bright yellow of Spongebob) then snuggled up to him. It was like carrying a cat, it kept on snuggling towards him. He carried the toddler to the living room, where Andy was already sitting on his couch, seemingly engrossed with the show. He placed Maddie on her couch, tucking the blanket at her sides, then returned to his spot to ridicule Kripke's work.

It took Sheldon a moment to realize that Maddie had gotten up from her couch—Andy still stuck on his show—her blanket dragging along behind her. She didn't seem to care much about the cartoons, and had trailed over to Sheldon, her hand clutching her blanket loosely at her side. Sheldon looked down at the toddler, frowning slightly as the kid was fixing him with a sleep, uncertain look; as though she was contemplating something. She was looking straight into her temporary guardian's eyes, and maintained the eye contact, remembering that ignoring the twins lead to no good.

"Can I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound too uninterested, and thought of random things that the child might want. "Are you hungry? Feeling like you want to build a nuclear laser using an easy bake oven that you're planning on asking me to buy? Or are you thinking of traveling the world via hot air balloon and want to ask me for a loan for your traveling fees? Or do you want to ask me for help in designing a Death Star inspired playground that you will ask as a birthday present from your mother for your upcoming second birthday?"

Maddie stared at him for another second, before carelessly tossing her blanket up onto the couch; the end of it hitting his laptop, then Sheldon in the face. He grunted, pushing the blanket away from his eyes, and watched as Maddie clambered up onto the couch carefully, lifting the blanket up and crawling underneath it. Sheldon felt his own body tense as Maddie leaned against his side, and snuggled up to him. She pulled the blanket over herself, and Sheldon waited as he held his breath, waiting for something to happen. He suddenly felt an odd... feeling pass through him. He wasn't sure what it was, and he was sure that he had never felt it before. It was something warm, and fuzzy and he wanted to shake it off.

And after a few moments of waiting, Sheldon realized that Maddie wasn't going anywhere, and that she was already fast asleep. His body was still tensed, but as he looked down at the little girl lying comfortable against his side, as though... she belonged there. He felt _something_. A slight unexplainable connection—nothing too strong, but something that reminded him of home. Something calming, that made him relax even if a toddler he barely knew was invading his personal space. The feeling he was currently having was confusing him to a great extent, but his body (and his mind) told him to ignore it, and continue his work. Having the toddler beside him was comforting, like his mother or his Meemaw's hugs, that always made him feel lighter—happier. So he allowed the toddler to sleep, and he continued to dissect Kripke's disappointing work. He didn't even notice that a small smile had tugged on his lips the entire time that he sat with the toddler. And that he found that day to be one of his more better days, where he thought nothing could go wrong.

It was also the the day that he realized that the twins weren't too bad.

* * *

**Monday;** end of task.

* * *

Exactly a week had passed, and Leonard agreed that miracles did happen.

And entire week went by, and not a single complaint from Sheldon. Not including the incident where the twins called him not fun, as Sheldon really didn't complain about it.

The miracle that he was talking about, was that in a span of a _day _something changed in Sheldon that none of them could comprehend. From the sulking, moping Sheldon to an optimistic, less annoying one that actually _interacted_ with the twins. Yes, he wasn't kidding—his roommate really was kinder to the twins, friendlier and everything un-Sheldon like that they thought that they had crossed over into a different dimension. Well, he was somewhat exaggerating, but compared to the Sheldon who ignored the twins, and was inexplicably rude to them, this Sheldon who even _smiled_ at them was a huge change! And in under a day, too! It was as if Sheldon finally stopped hating children (or specifically the twins) and even had a 0.0001 kb of space just for liking them. A miracle, indeed!

The only problem was, that though Sheldon was now more civil and friendlier to the twins, he was still the same condescending Sheldon to the rest of them.

"I have succeeded, Leonard, therefore you must admit that I was right, and you were wrong." The normal Sheldon stated, calmly sipping tea from his desk. "I get your miniature Batmobile. Fun."

Leonard turned to Raj and Howard, who were also staring at Sheldon, then cleared his throat. "Well, uh, I guess you did prove me wrong, but didn't you find taking care of the twins tedious? Even once?"

Sheldon made a noise akin to huffing, that sounded a bit like him snorting before swiveling his chair to face his friends. "I must admit, though, taking care of them is not easy. At all, and I do believe that I owe you an apology for underestimating the task of babysitting. Though, I did not find it hard, it also was not as easy as I thought."

Leonard grinned, awestruck at what Sheldon admitted. He turned to Raj and Howard, who were still silently staring at Sheldon. "Guys! Did you record that? Sheldon apologizing! Did you hear it?" The two still didn't move, their attention still focused on Sheldon. "Hello? Are you guys even listening to me?" He snapped a finger in front of Raj's face, who finally broke out from his trance. "Dude, I'm sorry, I stopped listening when I noticed that Sheldon placed that odd shaped clay model on his desk."

"Clay model...?" The experimental physicist raised an eyebrow, then turned to look at Sheldon's desk. Laptop, files, speakers, crap, more crap... and at the very end of the desk, were two disfigured clay models. It wouldn't mean much to most people, and would even confuse others, but the three silent men knew what those clay dolls were. They were the clay sculptures that the twins made before, that they wanted to show Sheldon, that the theoretical physicist insensitively ignored a week before.

The three men all smiled at the small progress made by their friend.


	5. Disorganized Fights

**This was supposed to be up earlier this week, but I said, hey it's father's day. So, Happy Father's Day to all of the dads, the soon to be dads, the single moms like Penny who does both roles, and to a certain someone in this story who I'm not naming even though we all know who he is. Ha.**

**To Leanne: I don't mind the late review, I'm just really glad that you reviewed (same goes with all of you who review!) The trash talk was inspired by the episode where Kripke and Sheldon had the fight over the office, and they played basketball and had some trash talk :-D Sheldon is getting softer and softer with each chapter, and I'm really hoping that their relationship doesn't feel too rushed. The truth is so close, but not too close. Oh, and you seriously have awesome ideas, and I hope you don't mind me using one or two! I get what you're saying, to read something that isn't to your taste is a big thing, but if it's great, then it's worth it. Anyway, don't worry, I review fics really late too (mainly because I do not have internet) and I don't mind late reviews :-D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the story, the mistakes, Andy and Maddie and the robots that the guys will be playing with. Longer AN at the end.**

* * *

**The future;** thirteen years later.

* * *

Andy was concentrating on reading his copy of _A Clockwork Orange_ when his twin sister practically kicked his door down, marching into his room and slapping the book out of his hands. With a small sigh, he gazed up at the fuming blonde, "what do you want, Maddie?" He picked the book up, rotating it in his hands to see if there were any damages—it was a first edition that he received from a director that wanted him to play _Alex_ in a remake. It was going to follow the book word by word (unlike the movie that deviated from the book, but was awesome nonetheless) and the director suggested that he read the actual book, first. Sadly, his mom would go crazy if he even so much as thought about accepting the role, and he politely rejected it. "Nothing too adult until you're twenty-one, I told you that already!" She'd tell him without a second thought whatsoever.

"You took my Pooh doll!" His twin exclaimed, and Andy simply stared at her. With all the years of living with her and the nearly nine months of sharing a womb, he was already accustomed to her sudden outbursts. It wasn't new; his sister got easily annoyed over everything. Once, when they were playing tennis (and he was embarrassingly losing) his twin sister got mad at him for aiming the tennis ball at the wrong direction, claiming that he was cheating. If he was going to cheat, he would've made sure that he won! "No, I didn't, Maddie. What would I even do with your stupid doll?"

Maddie clenched her teeth, placing her hands on her hips, "it's not a stupid doll, dear _bother!_ You know that it's important to me, and it's been with me since we were babies! Now where did you hide it?"

"I didn't take anything, dear _blister._" His sister's face contorted in anger, and he glared at the blue eyes they once had in common. Their mom said that he used to have blue eyes when he was a baby—and the thousands of pictures were a definite proof of that—but when he was around two, it drastically changed to a shade of green that was close to the ones their mom had. Although, Maddie would sometimes point out that his eyes looked blue when hit by sunlight—but Uncle Raj was the only one who was happy about it, for some unknown reason. Something about how he looked like a Disney prince straight out from the movies—which was odd, as there were seldom blonde princes. He and Maddie decided that their uncle was just too much of a hopeless romantic, or something like that. Andy stood up from his bed, grabbing a doll that sat on top of his bedside table. "If it means so much to you then take my Woody the Cowboy doll." He held the vintage doll towards her, shaking it as he grinned at her. "It even has my name underneath! That would sell for a good hundred dollars."

"Your narcissism is unbelievable," the other blonde hissed, smacking the doll from his hand. "And all Woody dolls have Andy on their foot because of Toy Story—not cause of you! Will you just cut this out and return my doll to me?"

Andy quickly picked up his precious doll and returned it to his bedside table. "Is this because I ate the entire cake Aunt Bernadette brought us yesterday, because you and your kleptomaniac self took my new watch?" She always did those kind of things; taking his things for no reason which infuriated him to a great extent. Why she had to steal his stuff, he didn't know. Maybe she really was a kleptomaniac. He'd have to tell mom about this, after he gets his sister to calm down.

"Maybe, maybe not. Maybe I'm accusing you because you're really not my brother!" Maddie huffed, shaking her head at her twin. "But since we're on this subject; one, I am not a kleptomaniac, and two, I hope you get diabetes for eating all of that cake that we were supposed to share! I wouldn't accuse you of taking my Pooh doll just because you ate the cake! You probably took it because I turned down that tie-in role as your twin!" As if he'd stoop as low as her, taking something just to get back at her. Thr movie she turned down wasn't good, anyway. "Now, give my doll back! It's my good luck charm and you know that!"

"Oh, is your tennis match, today?" Andy inquired, staring blankly at her sister. "Then maybe you should just go and practice instead of badgering me of something I didn't do." The blonde teenager walked over to his door and held it open for his sister. He had a hunch where the stupid bear was hiding, and he was going to end this discussion once and for all. Or else he might tolchok his sister—but his mom wouldn't be too happy about that. Or knowing that he was reading the book she said not to read until he was eighteen. "Now, come on. I think I know where your stupid doll is."

Maddie pointed a finger at him as she strolled past the door, "aha! I knew that you took it, you big liar! Mom is so gonna get mad at you when I tell on you, you big jerk!"

Andy sighed, closing his door, "we'll see about that."

* * *

**Present;** year 2012.

* * *

"Mommy! Did ya' kno dat Sedon a ayn-tist?"

"Andy! Sedon a _pi-sissst_, not a ayn-tist!"

"Ayn-tist and pi-sisissst same."

"Not same! Is _pi-sissst_ not pi-sisissst."

"Come on, give me a ten—NO! Not jail! Dude, how do I even get sent to jail because of jaywalking? Isn't that a bit too much?"

"Maybe you robbed someone _while_ jaywalking," Howard suggested, rolling the dice, "hey! Free parking! I'm rich! Here's my card, please add some moolah!"

"Dude, how did you even get that money from free parking? Did you kill someone at that parking and like, steal their wallet? If so, you should be in jail, and not me."

"I don't understand why I have to pay so much for a stupid hotel each time I stop at a street," Leonard mumbled, grabbing Howard's Monopoly ATM card and transacted the payment with the electronic banker. "Who even goes from one street to the other just to stay at an overpriced hotel? Don't I have a home? And who's idea was it to use the electronic Monopoly version?"

"I still don't get why I'm the only one who lands in jail! We've been playing this game for three hours now, and it seems that I'm the only criminal! How racist!"

"No use complaining when you just charged me too much for landing on your stupid property! The ceiling is leaking in your hotel, and the service is terrible!"

Sheldon placed his hand in front of his forehead and pinched his temples in frustration. It was far too noisy for his liking, and nothing was going the way it was supposed to go. For some unknown reason, Wii bowling night turned into board game night and now his colleagues had spent the last three hours trying to understand the logic in Monopoly. Then, because of their irritating cacophony, the twins woke up from their sleep and had officially ruined their sleeping schedule that he had so delicately planned to ensure a non-cranky toddler. He'd have to give the toddlers a bath, _again_, just so that they'd get sleepy and return to sleeping. But that would be nearly next to impossible as the Monopoly game had turned into some sort of debate that even he couldn't understand due to the stupidity of it all. He was starting to get a migraine from all of the ruckus, and he had a strong urge to finally end the madness.

"Maddie, ayn-tist and pi-sisisst same!"

"No, it not, Andy! Ayn-tist dif-unt!"

"I'm a _physicist_," Sheldon interrupted, swiveling his chair to face the camera that was set up above the tv. "And your mother knows that I'm a physicist, she's known that for a long time, now."

Penny raised an eyebrow as Sheldon appeared on her screen, taking a long sip of her morning coffee. "Hey, Sheldon. How nice of you to finally say hi to me." She watched the physicist frown at her as the three men argued in the background. This was actually the first time she talked to Sheldon since he deemed her as a 'friend.' Whenever she called in, Sheldon barely peeked at the screen to say hello, and when he did, it was usually him telling Leonard on how he wanted the twins to leave already. Leonard said that Sheldon no longer hated her (she doubted it) and asked that she be civil to him, as Sheldon promised to be, as well. "How's life going for the great Sheldon Cooper?"

"Life is well for the great _Doctor_ Sheldon Cooper," the physicist corrected and Penny resisted to end the call right then and there. "Actually, subtly well as the president of the university forced me to go on another horrible week of vacation, and I am not happy about it." Penny found it oddly amusing how Sheldon was probably the only person in the world who detested vacations. It was as if all he was made to do was work, play video games, stick to his strict routine and look down on majority of the world's population. He must have found it fun. "And then he threatened that shall I not take it, I will be banned from the university for a month, and even I know that it's a thinly veiled ploy for another vacation. Regardless, I joined in this discussion not only to correct your children's mistakes, but to inform you to wrap this up as your children really needs to sleep."

Andy tilted his head at Sheldon, frowning in distaste. "Andy no want seep! Andy not seepy!" Sheldon raised an eyebrow at the toddler and pursed his lips. "Everyday since you've arrived in this apartment, you have gone to bed by at least eight. It's ten thirty, and this will surely disrupt your sleeping schedule."

The blonde actress listened closely as Sheldon ranted to her twins about how they needed to go to sleep. She checked her phone, and saw that it _was_ past the time for the twins to go to sleep. Which meant that Leonard wasn't lying when he said that Sheldon was actually taking care of the twins! When the bespectacled physicist first told her about the interaction, she laughed (once she logged off) and thought that Leonard was going insane. It sounded like one big joke, and she decided it _was_ one. Until now. Maybe, _just maybe_ she misjudged her former neighbor. Regardless, she still needed actually proof. Just because Sheldon spent his time trying to get a sleeping schedule for the twins didn't mean that he actually _likes_ them. It just means that he was getting used to them, and that meant that Leonard's plan was working. Holy crap on a cracker. "You made them a sleeping schedule?"

Sheldon turned towards her and sent her a look that screamed how-dumb-can-you-get? Some things never do change. "Of course! Organization in one's life is, and will never be frowned upon. Don't tell me you just let them sleep whenever they want to?"

The blonde shook her head, grabbing a sliced baguette and started spreading butter on it. "No, I don't. It's not good for them to sleep whenever they feel like it, and if you let them, Maddie will sleep all day and be up all night." She bit off the bread, and continued, slightly amused at how Sheldon frowned at the sight of her eating and talking at the same time. "I was just shocked that you passed on your crazy love for scheduling everything on to my children. But in a good way, I assure you."

"Yes, well, you know how I enjoy cultivating people into getting more civilized." Sheldon nonchalantly said and Penny absentmindedly nodded in agreement; she could still remember how he tried to use chocolate as positive reinforcement in order to get rid of her bad habits. At first she thought that he just felt generous enough to give her some delicious chocolates, then Leonard pointed it out and, well, she wasn't as happy as she previously was. She gained half a pound cause of those chocolates—which wasn't much—but it was still something. "By the time you retrieve your children, they'll be organized and even better than they were before." Penny glared at him, and Sheldon continued, not wanting to hear more badgering of how he was treating her children badly. "Not that they aren't satisfactory, I am just filling in the gap that you left. You'll be pleased to know that they have now gotten used to not having their bottles. And it only took three days!" He turned to the twins, who were watching him interact with their mother. "Show your mother your newfound skill."

Maddie blinked, then grabbed her sippy cup—which featured a cartoon version of Wonder Woman—and took a sip out of it. "Mommy, Maddie want Pooh sip-ee ca-uhp, peas."

Andy raised his sippy cup, scrutinizing the characters on it. He knew Sup-eh-mehn, but he didn't know who the rest was. Like his twin sister, he wanted something different. "Mommy, Andy want dif-unt ca-uhp, too! Os-cah da ga-ouch, peas."

"What do you mean you want different cups?" Sheldon asked in surprise, crossing his arms. "How is a gluttonous bear, and a green _thing_—that resides in a filthy beyond imaginable trashcan—better than the Justice League?"

Andy stared at him, then turned to his mother who was on the screen, still eating her breakfast. "Ookie Mahn-stah okay, too."

"Sheldon will get you the characters you want," Penny assured with a small smile, causing Sheldon's frown to deepen, and the twins to feel content. "I gotta say, Sheldon, I'm pretty impressed at how you got them to use something other than a bottle. I tried doing that for about a week, but they didn't seem to like it." The theoretical physicist smirked; happy that his former neighbor appreciated his efforts to cultivate the toddlers. "It should not surprise you that I excel in various things, Penny." She couldn't understand why, but Penny suddenly felt a stinging twinge on her hip from the pure arrogance in Sheldon's tone. She really had to get that spot where some scars used to be checked. "Such as convincing children to take a step higher in the ladder of progress. If I managed to get Leonard to maintain a bathroom schedule, innovating a child's schedule is easy."

"Dude, you just got bankrupt!" Raj exclaimed at Leonard, tearing Sheldon's attention from the blonde on the tv. "Which means that I win!" Leonard stared at his game account balance, then glared at the astrophysicist. "You cheated! I know you cheated!"

Howard snickered, returning the property cards to it's places in the box. "I told you he was a cheater, yet no one believed me."

Raj's smile dropped, turning to his best friend and narrowing his eyes at him. "You got a problem with me?"

Leonard shook his head, moving to his desk chair as the two best friends started to fight. "I swear, Raj seriously cheated," he told Sheldon who simply stared at him. "Hey, Penny, how's breakfast?"

"I've been on this screen for nearly half an hour, now," Penny stated, moving from the bread to her actual breakfast; eggs Benedict, a side of bacon and pork and beans. How she loved room service. "How is it that you only noticed me, now? Even Sheldon talked to me." Leonard rubbed the back of his head, ashamed to have ignored the blonde. "It was a really intense game of Monopoly, sorry about that. Which reminds me, the twins should go to sleep, now."

"Andy no want seep!" The toddler exclaimed, looking very affronted at the mention of sleeping. The three adults mentally noted to be cautious of using the word 'sleep' around Andy. Maddie yawned loudly, a tiny hand covering her face. "Maddie wike seep, but no want mommy bye bye."

Penny sighed at the sight of her children; she longed to be the ones to tuck them into bed, but she still had a month and a half to go. This was another one of those times when she wished she had just brought her kids along—but with her tight schedule, it would be next to impossible for her to do her job, and watch over them. Had she brought them along, they'd either be left at the hotel or the trailer the entire day, and she didn't want that. She barely even had time to explore Paris as the director wanted everything to be done in one cut, so they could wrap the Paris scenes and return to shoot in California. They had to quicken up shooting so that the movie could premiere at an earlier date, and so that it could be submitted to one of the film festivals. Which was why not bringing the twins was a good thing, they were better off at Sheldon and Leonard's. At least with them, the twins would be properly cared for... or something akin to that. "You two need to get back to sleep, you know. I promise to talk to you again tomorrow morning."

"Speaking of tomorrow," Howard interjected, ignoring Raj's snide comments on how he was a sore loser. "We're all planning on going to the park, tomorrow, and we were wondering if it would be okay for you to join in via Skype."

"Hmm... I'm free from five in the afternoon to five thirty," Penny mused while glancing at her schedule that was stuck on the table. "And again at around seven—I think I can call in. Assuming that you can manage to get fast internet speed at the park? What are you guys even going to do there?"

Howard eagerly nodded, "of course, we can! And we're planning on having a robot rematch cause _someone_," Raj snorted from the couch, "cheated. Plus, Bernie's going to be free tomorrow, since she's been busy working on a raccoon virus breakout and hasn't been able to see the twins. Tomorrow's pretty much her first free day—" Sheldon raised an eyebrow, holding a hand up to interrupt the engineer. "The continuation of our Robot Wars is tomorrow?"

Leonard frowned, confused on why Sheldon's eidetic memory was failing him. "Yeah, didn't we agree at the park that we'd fight again, tomorrow?"

The theoretical physicist furrowed his eyebrows, his lips slightly pursed in thought. How could he have forgotten that the final tournament was tomorrow? He had spent the last three days improving his Sheldroid that it was impossible for him to forget. But he had, and now he was caught in a minor pickle. "It seems that I can't make it, as I have plans to have lunch with Amy tomorrow."

Penny raised her eyebrows in a mixture of shock and confusion. "Who's Amy?"

"Sheldon's girlfriend," Leonard said, sending Sheldon a mocking smile.

"Sheldon has a girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend," Sheldon corrected, glancing at his grinning roommate then at the confused blonde on their tv screen.

Andy tilted his head to the side as his mother started to squeal through the tv. He and his twin had retreated to their couches, as the adults had huddled up in front of the tv. "Maddie, wat guh-fend? And who Aye-mee?"

Maddie scrunched her nose in distaste at the noise the adults were making. She was feeling sleepy, and wanted to go to bed, already. But her twin was still engrossed in the conversation the adults were having, therefore, he wasn't sleepy. Maybe, she could leave him here and she could return to their room. "Dunno. Maddie seepy."

"No seep!" Andy vehemently said, shaking his head at his twin. "Andy not seepy!" Maddie narrowed her eyes at her twin brother; if he wanted a fight he was going to get a fight. Sleep was the only thing she wanted right now.

"How long has this been going on?"

"About two years."

"She's _not_ my girlfriend."

"Are you telling me that for the past year that we've all been meeting and catching up, I have been asking 'what's new' and you never thought to go with Sheldon has a girlfriend?" The blonde dramatically asked, shaking her head in disbelief that Leonard never told her about this. This was big, _big _news that should have been delivered to her! Such vital information should be shared—cause, it's important! Had she known about this, her decision regarding Leonard's 'plan' might have been different. She really couldn't believe what she was hearing—Sheldon had a girlfriend! The day that they thought would never happen actually came!

"She's _not_ my girlfriend—"

Penny waved her hand dismissively, wishing that she could be in the same room with the others. "How did they meet?"

"About two years ago, Raj and I entered Sheldon's information in a dating site and it spit out Amy Farrah Fowler." Howard answered, returning the board game to the shelf. "We call them Shamy."

"Alright, everyone pay attention," Sheldon commanded, having had enough of the continuous insistence on a non existing relationship between his female friend. "Yes, I have a friend name Amy Farrah Fowler. Yes, she is female. Yes, we communicate on a daily basis. Yes, we are all well acquainted with her and often hang out with her—except Penny—but, _no_, she is _not_ my girlfriend." His words hung in the air like a nasty smell, and he hoped that he had finally ended their annoying mockery of his and Amy's relationship. This was one of the times where he wished he really could make a machine that would dissect people's brains and rearrange the nerves to remove the cons. It was always like this whenever he mentioned Amy, his three friends would always play the 'girlfriend' card. Which was why he (at first) limited the inclusion of Amy to their group, but somehow, Leonard and the others always found a way to drag her along. Now, whenever Bernadette was tagging along, Amy joined, too. The two female scientists even formed an odd friendship throughout the years. "Let this be the last time that I explain myself, gentlemen." He turned to the blonde who had a goofy grin on her face. "And Penny."

Raj took a swig of beer—he had been fixing something during the entire conversation, and was dying to finally speak up. Even if the blonde was just talking via a screen, he still could not seem to talk to his friend. He could talk to Bernadette (without drinking) but only after they fixed the whole crush he had on her, and when Howard and the microbiologist got engaged. Amy normally tried to get him to talk to her, as she found his problem interesting, but he could only manage to say yes or no to her. Penny was a whole different case, which was why he had to at least take a sip of alcohol. "Dude, why don't you just bring Amy along, tomorrow? We're going to have pot luck for lunch, and I'd like someone who isn't any of you to taste my recipe on roast duck."

"Great idea, Raj," Leonard remarked, before turning to Sheldon whose frown only deepened. "Why don't you ask her if she'd like to join us? It's been a while since she hanged out with us."

"Amy isn't much a fan of the outdoors," Sheldon informed them with a bored tone. "Unless it's a house on a prairie, a prairie or set in the medieval times. Or a harp convention held in an amphitheater that is located within a park. She'll most likely say no."

Raj lifted his phone, smirking at the theoretical physicist. "That's a bit contradictory as I just texted Amy to ask if she wanted to go and she just said yes." He extended his arm towards Sheldon, who grabbed the phone and read the message. "She only said yes because you mentioned that Bernadette was going to be there! I cannot believe she quickly forgot about our plans just because she wants to spend time with Bernadette. How insulting."

Penny had to restrain herself from laughing as she watched Sheldon go on about how his female friend should have asked him first. "You know, Sheldon, you should thank Raj for setting this up! This could be your first date!" She saw Leonard chuckle, then spoke. "Actually, they already had their first date about a year ago. I chaperoned it, cause I was the one who questioned the relationship. It was a really awkward night for the three of us."

Sheldon sent Leonard a glare, then sighed in defeat. "Alright, I guess I am joining the robot match. But this better be the last time that you manipulate my friend without asking my permission first!"

"Aww, Sheldon's getting all embarrassed," Howard teased, causing the others, except Sheldon, to laugh. "It's so touching to see our Sheldon finally—" the engineer was cut off by a light thump on the floor, instinctively making them turn around to see the twins arguing behind them.

"Dat Maddie ca-uhp!" Maddie gasped, glancing down to the floor where her sippy cup fell, then glared at her twin brother. "Andy say soh-ee!"

Andy folded his arms over his chest, eyebrows squeezed together and his light blue eyes meeting the angry, slightly darker shade of blue eyes. "No! Andy not soh-ee. Andy no want seep!"

Maddie pointed a finger towards the cup on the floor, "Andy do dat, so say soh-ee, and Andy seep cos' Maddie seepy!" Her twin brother stuck out his chin in defiance, and Maddie only got even more frustrated.

"Twins? Are you fighting?" Penny worried asked, and the four scientists briefly wondered if the blonde saw the scenario differently.

Maddie whipped her head towards the screen, tears forming in her eyes out of anger at her brother. "Andy make ca-uhp fah—fohhl! Andy no want seep and Maddie seepy and Andy no say soh-ee!"

"See? I told you this was ruining their sleeping schedule," groused Sheldon, shaking his head as he stood from his chair to walk over to the twins couches. "Stop fighting, as the subject of your argument is truly idiotic. You will sleep, whether you like it or not."

"No seep!" Andy cried, turning his head away from the adult.

"Do they normally fight like this?" Howard curiously asked, turning to Penny. "They get into fights every now and then, but not about sleeping," Penny responded watching as Sheldon continued another rant. "Sheldon, I think they should go to sleep or they'll get even crankier."

Sheldon snorted from where he stood, "Penny, I've been doing this for nearly two weeks now. I know what I'm doing." He bent down to level his gaze with the two cranky toddlers; he was not going to deal with a temper tantrum this late. Effective today, he was banning the use of Monopoly from eight onward. It should only be played in the morning if the players were that noisy. With a deep breath, he pulled on the most intimidating look he could muster, and glared at the two toddlers. He'd had some trouble with getting the twins (Andy) to sleep recently, and sometimes he just had to put his foot down. The male toddler often put up a fight, but gave in quickly if he realized that resistance was futile. "You're going to go to sleep, _now_, and I'm not taking no for an answer."

Andy held up the glaring contest, and Sheldon was reminded of Penny when he banned her from the apartment. He had the same glimmer in his eyes that Penny had whenever she disagreed with him. How nostalgic, it felt like it was just yesterday when he triumphantly hung her underwear on the phone line across the street. "If you agree to go to sleep, I'll buy you the sippy cup that you want."

After a moment, Andy's face relaxed and broke into a small content smile. "Okay!"

Sheldon noted that he had to stop buying them over with rewards, or else they'll get used to only doing things on their own accord to get something in return. He read something online saying that children should not get acclimated to getting whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted—which was why he and Leonard were contemplating on whether or not to ban Raj from shopping trips. The astrophysicist spoiled Penny's children too much, and they feared the day that they became spoiled brats. The twins were too easily won over by food and shopping trips that it was no doubt that they were Penny's offsprings. It was just like having two more Pennys that were twenty-four years younger, and more innocent. "Good, now go to your room and get settled for bed. Your mother will even say goodnight to you there."

Maddie stood, sending her twin brother a look of disapproval before scurrying off towards the hall. Once she disappeared, Andy followed after, and they all wondered how they were going to sleep beside each when they obviously were still mad.

"So... tomorrow?" Leonard awkwardly asked as Sheldon returned to his desk. "You still up for tomorrow, Penny?"

Penny stared in awe at the half-seen Sheldon through her screen. How did he get Andy to go to sleep so easily? Even though they listened to everything she said, there were still some rare times when Andy didn't want to sleep. And had Sheldon not spoke so calmly, she would have gotten mad at him for looking at her son so... evilly! But it worked! Because of shopping—they really were her kids! She was starting to believe what Leonard said about Sheldon taking care of her kids, and it was like getting ice cold water dumped on her. She felt somewhat guilty for doubting Leonard and not trusting Sheldon but felt a wave of relief wash over her at knowing that Sheldon really was getting accustomed to her kids. Maybe, he even liked them! She would've laughed, but somehow the thought didn't seem so impossible. Now she had proof. Wow. "Yeah, I'm still up for tomorrow."

"Let's end this banal chit chat so that the twins can finally descend into slumber," Sheldon snarled, gesturing to Howard. "Move the Skype call onto Leonard's laptop so that Penny can say goodnight to the twins. Any second later and I'll be the cranky one." Howard silently nodded, moving to Leonard's laptop and opening Skype and telling Penny that he was going to end the call and transfer it.

The blonde dumbly nodded as the call was disconnected. There was something just, so very surreal about seeing Sheldon and her twins together, and it left her rather nonplussed. She only managed to shake out the bizarre feeling when the call started up again, and she saw her twins getting ready for bed.

* * *

Sheldon found the park oddly only moderately populated for a Sunday. Normally, whenever they flew their kites or tested out one of Wolowitz's inventions, the park was swarming with people. Today, there was still a good number of people who could easily trample him, just not as expected. Which was splendid, as he did not like other people in the park, anyway. The twins had a tendency to play with other children, and that meant that they could get various unwanted germs from all those children who played with other unknown children. There were about five children playing at the playground, and with that small number, he could easily track down whoever would pass some kind of disease to the twins.

Leonard and Sheldon were currently sitting at a picnic table that was placed at a isolated area, inspecting their robots when Howard and the others arrived.

"Aun-teh Beh-na-det!" The twins—who were sitting down on a blanket on the grass, drawing—exclaimed once they saw the petite blonde walking up to them alongside their uncles and one unfamiliar person.

"Hey kids!" Bernadette greeted as the toddlers ran up to her, and she crouched down to give them a hug. It had been a while since she saw Penny's kids, and had admittedly missed the tykes. In all honesty, they were the only children she actually liked, and—don't tell Howard—she was warming up to the idea of having kids because of them. "How are you guys?"

"Andy du-woh mommy!" He grabbed the half finished picture, that looked like five different colors had a nasty fight. In the middle of the plethora of colors was a yellow stick person, who could either be Penny, or one of the twins. "See, dat mommy!"

Maddie took her drawing, and handed it to the older blonde. It was a simple drawing of a circle, with a darker circle at the top right of it. "Maddie du-woh det stah," she said, tapping her finger on a single line inside the circle, "dat Dat Bedah!" The guys were already rubbing off on the children.

The microbiologist grinned down at her close friend's children, returning their drawings before patting their heads. "Those are great, you should finish them and show them to your mom when she gets back." The toddlers nodded, placing their drawings back down on the blanket, as Sheldon walked over to them. "You're right on time, Leonard has just finished setting up his laptop to call Penny," Sheldon said, nodding at Bernadette in acknowledgement, then at the other three people standing behind the blonde. "Amy, hello. I must say I'm shocked to see that you decided to join us. You don't really care for the outdoors, am I right."

"Yes, that is true," answered the stranger, "but I do care for the beach. I don't care to swim, but the sound of the waves crashing against the sand is music to my ears. Also, I did not want to miss a chance to spend some time with Bernadette."

Andy watched closely as Sheldon started talking to the stranger who arrived with the three adults. He had never seen her before, and he wondered if she was just a passerby. He extended his hand towards Sheldon, tugging on his shirt to get his attention. "Sedon, who dat?" He asked, pointing a finger at the brunette who was still silently standing behind Bernadette. Sheldon raised an eyebrow, and followed the direction of his finger to Amy.

"That's Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, she is a neurobiologist, and my friend." Amy blinked at him, then tilted her head down to look at the two toddlers who were staring at her. On the way to the park, Bernadette and Howard had mentioned something about infants joining them. She didn't pay much attention to it, as she was just excited to spend more time with her friends. Now that she was facing the infants in person, it occurred to her that Sheldon had never mentioned anything about them, before. They were clearly staying with Sheldon and Leonard as Bernadette, Howard and Raj were her ride here. If they were staying with them, they would have rode together with her. Which brought her to the first question she had; who were these children, anyway? Were they Leonard's? Sheldon's? How utterly confusing, she hated not having answers. On the other hand, these children seemed quite... familiar. She just couldn't put her finger on it.

Bernadette spoke up, placing a hand on the brunette's shoulder. "Amy, this is Andy, and Maddie. They're our friend Penny's kids." The twins both held up a hand, sheepishly waving up at the neurobiologist who was secretly scrutinizing them. "And twins, this is Amy, she's our friend."

"Hello," Amy stoically said, unsure of how to respond to the toddlers, "it's nice to meet you." The three stared at each other for another moment before Andy stepped forward and waved again. "Andy! Nah-uhs to meet ya' Aye-mee!" Andy grinned widely, turning to Maddie who was standing still. "Dat Andy tuh-win Maddie! Maddie say hi!" The other twin frowned slightly, then took a step forward to stand beside her twin. "Hi."

Bernadette was watching the scene closely, deciding that it was one of—if not the most—awkwardest scenes she had ever seen in her entire life. Worst than when her parents met Mrs. Wolowitz, which was overflowing with discomfort. Especially, when the wedding arrangements were brought up—it was like watching an intense episode of Dr. Phil. She turned to Sheldon, who seemed to be observing the scene as she was. "That went rather... well?" The theoretical physicist nodded, sighing once Amy stood and made her way towards the picnic table. "It's like the day when my mother walked into Missy's room while she was making out with one of Junior's friends. It was as uncomfortable as it was messy, but this was just uncomfortable." The two nodded in understanding, still feeling the remnants of discomfort from observing the scene in front of them.

"Hey guys, Penny's online!" Leonard called, snapping Sheldon and Bernadette from their unease. "Hi Penny! How's everything there?" Howard serenely asked as Sheldon, Bernadette and the twins approached the picnic table.

"Hey! I just finished shooting a really awesome fighting scene, and boy, am I tired! But it was fun, and I'm glad I agreed to do my own stunts! It's great exercise!" The blonde answered, smiling through the screen. "So, where's the twins?

"They're right here," said Raj as he helped the twins up the picnic table. Once they reached the top of the bench, the siblings turned to each other and both placed a hand against the other's arm—trying to push the other twin out of the way. "Maddie! Muh-oove!" Andy ordered, a hand clutching the edge of the table, and the other struggling to make his twin move. Maddie—who was still mad at her twin due to the events from the night, before—resisted the shove, and pushed back with equal strength. "No! Maddie talk to mommy! Go away, Andy!"

Howard quickly moved to the other side of the table and tore the twins away from each other. "Hey! Why are you two fighting?"

Penny frowned at the scene that played in front of her; it had been a while since one of her kids' famous fights that lasted for days. This would always stem from something Andy did, that Maddie would hold against her twin, and wouldn't forgive him until he apologized, or did what she wanted to do. Last time, it was because Andy accidentally spilled Maddie's half of their milkshake, and Maddie didn't forgive him until the next day. If only she could jump through via the screen, then maybe she could talk to them and break the fight out. How troubling. "Andy, Maddie, stop fighting! I can talk to both of you at the same time, no need to fight!"

Amy's eyes widened as she finally realized who the blonde on the screen was. It was _Penny!_ The girl from the famous show that everyone in her department watches! Halfway There! A celebrity! An actually celebrity! She was video calling with an _actual celebrity!_ Take that, everyone who had ever said that she wouldn't get any friends! How many of the other neurobiologists could say that they had contact with an actual celebrity for more than five minutes? She did! Regardless of the fact that the celebrity was talking via a laptop, and had no idea who she was—it still counted because she said so! Glancing at the screen again, she mentally agreed with the conversations between her colleagues about Penny being gorgeous. She was so pretty! And maybe, they could be _besties!_ "You're Penny! From Halfway There!"

The blonde tore her attention from her children and turned to glance at the unfamiliar face who was hogging half of the screen. Could this be Sheldon's girlfriend? "Yeah, hi! Could you, perhaps, be Amy? Sheldon's friend?"

There was a high pitched squeal that bothered the rest of the adults, and made the twins momentarily pause their petty argument. They all turned to the brunette who was jumping up and down on the grass, squealing in excitement. The high ranged noised continued for another thirty seconds, and Sheldon _swore_ that it shattered his ear drums. There went his Vulcan hearing. "Penny, Amy," he interjected, placing a hand in between the screen and the laptop. "This entire minute of squealing has irked me heavily, and as I know how this will end, I will say this now. Penny, do not corrupt my friend." Penny glared at him through the screen, and Amy spun around frowning at her friend. "Sheldon! How dare you ruin my first meeting with the gorgeous Penny! Now, she'll have a bad impression of me. First impressions last, Sheldon!"

"Is she Amy?" A voice from behind Sheldon cooed, causing him to turn and face the blonde who was widely grinning. Suddenly, a hand shoved Sheldon to the side, and Amy leaned closer to the laptop. "Hello, I'm Amy! Don't mind Sheldon, he doesn't know what he's talking about! It's nice to meet you! I've only watched an episode of your show—well, the preview—but my colleagues talk about you all the time! And I have to say that they're very wrong, you're so much prettier in person—well, on screen—and your hair is so much more golden—do you even have pores? Your skin is glowing even with the dim light of that room! Mint green looks so great on you!"

Sheldon shook his head as he (and the others) watched the scene in front of them. This was one gigantic mistake. Penny was surely going to corrupt Amy, and there was no way of stopping it. Who would have thought that Amy would have such an interest in celebrities? He wouldn't have. From would awkward scene, to another. He strongly doubted that they'd get to talk to Penny any time soon. "So, do any of you want to start the robot war?" asked Sheldon, turning towards the others who were dumbly staring at the brunette and the blonde on the screen. "I do not believe that that conversation can be easily ended. I suggest that we continue on with our other activities."

Raj looked at Howard, who was preparing his robot, "we'll go first. Cause _someone_ wants a re-match." Howard scoffed as he twisted a cap on top of his robot, "that someone wants a re-match, because _someone_ cheated. Now, stop yapping and let's fight Koothracheater!"

Bernadette sighed at her fiancé and his best friend, it would be futile to join them. The were already fighting on the ride here, and if she joined, she would be completely ignored. "I'll just stay at the picnic table and talk to Penny, and watch over the twins. You two can go and play with your robots." The blonde waved a hand at them before making her way back to the table, where Amy was still talking to Penny and the twins had returned to coloring their pictures.

"So..." Leonard drawled, looking around the park to find a clearing. "Rematch?"

Sheldon smirked, snatching his controller from his bag and turning his robot on. "You're on Hofstadter."

* * *

Andy couldn't believe that he had drawn something so utterly incredible. It's the best picture he's ever done—even if it wasn't finished, yet! It's a picture of his Mommy, and Sheldon, and Uncle Leonard, and him, and that meanie, Maddie. He didn't want to include his sister—cause she was so mean—but she had to, or else mommy would get mad. His Mommy looked so lifelike! He didn't forget the fingers this time, and all he needed to do was color in Mommy's skin. But there was a problem, a _big_ problem.

The orange crayon was missing!

He decided that Mommy's (and everyone else's) skin shouldn't be colored yellow since Mommy's, his, and the meanie's hair was yellow. He would use orange for the skin, instead—but it was _missing!_ All he needed to do was color in Mommy, then he could show it off, once Amy stops talking to his Mommy. But he was kind of glad that Amy was still talking to Mommy, or else he would have to show his picture while unfinished! How horrifying!

He placed his yellow crayon down, and stopped to think. Maddie was the one who used the orange crayon. But he didn't _want_ to talk to that meanie! Then, he guessed, he'd have to show the picture like that. It was already amazing on it's own, and he knew that his Mommy would understand if she didn't have any skin. It was either green or none, and he didn't want Mommy to look like a monster. He should have just used the green crayon on Maddie, so Mommy would have some skin. This would be the last time he ever included that meanie in his pictures!

Standing, he picked up his picture off the blanket, with every intention of showing it to Aunt Bernadette then to Mommy. When she comes back from her trip, she'll probably put it in her room, where she framed all of their drawing. He felt that this one _deserved_ to be in the center, of course, until he made one even better! Which wasn't shocking, cause he made the best drawings! Maddie's never made sense—it was always scribbles that wasn't pretty, at all. If she wasn't so mean, maybe he'd helped her with the coloring. Pfft. As if he'd help that meanie!

Then, a familiar hand snatched it away, which was actually Maddie stepping away from him.

That meanie!

"Maddie!" Andy yelled, pointing an angry finger at his twin. "Dat Andy's! Guh-eeve it back!"

Maddie narrowed her eyes at her twin brother. She was very mad at her twin brother! She was there, on her side of the blanket, coloring her pictures when her orange crayon disappeared! She looked everywhere (on the blanket) and even under her mess of crayons. She needed that crayon for; one, to draw the squiggly line on Sheldon's red shirt that he always wore, and two, because if she didn't have it in her set of crayons, Mommy, Sheldon and Uncle Leonard would get mad! One crayon _could not_ be missing or else the crayons wouldn't be complete! Sure, it might have been her fault for not placing her crayons in one straight line like Andy did, and how her Mommy said, but why did she have to? Organizing was not fun, at all! Therefore, she never aligned her crayons like Andy did. Which was why she knew that it was Andy who took the crayon! She placed the orange crayon _on top_ of the pile of crayons, and Andy could have easily snatched it! When would he stop making her mad?

"Andy took oh-wandge ca-yon," accused Maddie, holding up the picture above her head. "Guh-eeve it back."

Her twin gasped, obviously affronted. "Andy no take, Maddie take! Guh-eeve du-woh-ing back!"

How dare Andy say that she took the orange crayon! If she had it, she wouldn't be saying that he took it! She didn't blame him for no reason! Andy was always like this, even if he was the one who took it! If Mommy was here, she would surely take her side, because Andy was wrong. She didn't have proof, that was true, but if it wasn't Andy, who took it? She wasn't going to say sorry for blaming him! He hadn't even said sorry for dropping her sippy cup yesterday! She would only say sorry, if he said sorry. And _if_ he returned the orange crayon. Sadly, she couldn't stay mad at him forever (she would if she could) because they lived together, and they were twins, and had the same Mommy and Daddy—but! She could at least be mad for a day. And she wouldn't forgive him until he said sorry.

Andy wanted to scream in frustration—his drawing was getting wrinkled from the way his twin was holding it—but that would mean that she had won. Maddie loved to win, and he was not going to give her that luxury. Maybe, he should cry! But... he wasn't a baby like that meanie who cried all the time! Aha! He suddenly got the greatest idea that he ever had—he was going to tell on her! Justice would be swift, and he'd get the orange crayon and finally be able to show his finished drawing to Mommy! Maddie would surely lose this one! This victory would be wonderful, especially when he sees his Mommy's delighted face at the sight of his incredible masterpiece!

With a small grin, he spun around and prepared his battle cry. "Aun-teh Beh-na-de—" he abruptly stopped (much to Maddie's delight) when he saw that Aunt Bernadette was missing from the picnic table. Where did she go? She couldn't approach the table to tattle anymore, because it was just Amy and Mommy. And Mommy would see the unfinished drawing.

"Ha! Dat wat Andy get foh taking ca-yon!" His twin laughed, waving the paper carelessly in the air. How infuriating! No matter, he still had a backup plan. Justice would still prevail!

_"Sedoooooooon!"_

* * *

"Oh no," Bernadette muttered, closing the basket filled with food. "We forgot to bring paper plates. Amy, I'm just going to go and buy some. Will you be okay, here?"

Amy quickly glanced at the blonde beside her, then back at the effervescent blonde on the screen. "Yeah, yeah, sure. So, Penny, how does it feel like to be a celebrity?" The microbiologist shook her head out of amusement, and grabbed her keys to buy the plates. They had been at the park for more than an hour, and Amy had been talking to Penny, _the entire time._ Amy had even stopped Penny from doing the rehearsal—and somehow, convinced her to take her one day off—and had been asking a hundred questions per second about being a celebrity. Penny barely even had time to respond, before Amy asked another question. It was amusing and at the same time slightly bothersome, as she wanted to talk to Penny, too. But she'd let it go as she could easily call and chat with Penny, now that she finished her raccoon virus research.

"Well, it's really great, but sometimes, everyone recognizing you could be a bit bothersome. One time, I was at Starbucks, and whenever they called me for my order, someone would take it, then take a picture with me." The blonde quietly laughed, recalling the funny memory, "it took half an hour before I got to drink my coffee, and by the time I did, it was cold!" Penny waited for Amy to laugh with her, but was merely met by Amy's smiling face. This was getting more and more awkward with each second that passed, and she hadn't even had a chance to talk to her twins! Heck, she hadn't even seen them since the little fight they had. But, since Amy had convinced her to use the _single_ free day she had, she guessed that she could just talk to the twins later. It was still pretty early, and she had the day off. Instead, she'll just get to know Sheldon's (not) girlfriend. The joy. "So, uh, Amy, how did you and Sheldon meet?"

What an odd question, Amy mused, but she didn't want to disappoint her new friend by not sharing some juicy information about her life. If they were going to be besties, they should know _everything_ about each other. She heard Howard yelling something in the distance, but she quickly ignored it. Nothing the engineer said would be more important than befriending the blonde goddess she was currently talking to. "Sheldon and I met in the spring of 2010, when a dating site matched my data with his. Though, it was Howard and Rajesh who had manipulated Sheldon's profile, I still went through with meeting Sheldon. Immediately, we decided that we were at the same level, intellectually, and we used that as basis to decide that we should have a baby together." At the corner of her eye, Amy saw Leonard running and picking up the cooler of water on the grass, frantically mumbling about some sort of fire before scurrying off back to where he came from. Amy found it odd, but she, again, ignored it and sent the blonde on screen a small grinned, and waited for a response.

"A baby?!" Penny blurted out, unsure if she heard the brunette right. "You and Sheldon are planning on having a _baby_ together?" Wow, this could have been the biggest surprise she had ever gotten since she discovered that she was pregnant. Except, that one was riddled with denial, and this one was just of pure shock and disbelief. She just couldn't quite wrap her mind around that concept, because if it was that easy then she should just probably tell—

"Will you be the godmother?!" Amy excitedly asked, slamming her palms on the surface of the picnic table. "Don't get me wrong, I do not care much about deities or religion, but the idea of a godparent excites me! And even if I only just met you, I strongly believe that you will be a fantastic godmother! One that would give my offspring glass slippers, or a pumpkin carriage. Or turn mice into people!"

Penny wanted to resist frowning at the incredulous brunette, but she just couldn't help it. She was heavily bothered by what Amy said, and it got her thinking. What if she was wrong in her judgement, and Leonard was right about everything? Then she went through so much trouble for... practically nothing. This was definitely confusing her to a great extent, and she wished that she had just up and logged out right from the start. She had prepared herself for a day talking to her twins, and her friends, not gossiping about celebrities with Amy. Don't get her wrong, Amy was delightful—in her own way—but all this talk was exhausting her. She couldn't even ask the questions she wanted to ask because of her own personal reasons. Damn. "Um, Amy, I've known Sheldon for years now, but do you really think that Sheldon is father material? What if he turns your kid into a robot, or something?"

Amy raised an eyebrow at her, her previous hyperactivity dying down. "I must admit, I, myself, am unsure if I will be what they say is a good mother. However, we only agreed to have a child together as between the two of us, our genetic material has the potential of producing the first in the line of intellectually superior benign overlords to guide humanity to a brighter tomorrow. And if we do, it will be via in-vitro fertilization as Sheldon detests physical contact." The brunette paused momentarily, thinking for a moment before resuming. "I have heard many stories of friends volunteering to be a surrogate, and I'm wondering, is your womb available for rental? A future overlord deserves to stay in a womb as wonderfully magical as yours."

The smile Amy was sending her was creeping here off the edge, so did the idea of Sheldon and Amy's kid in her womb. Nope. Not ever. Never, ever, ever, _ever_. Not even in a million years of being banned from every store and online store in the entire planet. She would rather live under the ground for a year without eating or drinking than even coming close to doing that idea. Not that she was repulsed by Amy (no way) or the thought of Sheldon and Amy having kids; it was specifically the idea of her being the surrogate that crawled under her skin. She was still shuddering at the thought, and she had never wanted to end a conversation as much as she did now. She wasn't opposed to having more kids—even if the pregnancy thing was a bit exhausting—but she already had two, and that was hard enough. Besides, having kids just because they could _possibly_ be future dictators of the world was such a sucky excuse to have them. Typical Sheldon, that would be the only reason why he would want kids. Disappointing, but it was the truth, and because of that, the truth could wait. "Oh. I thought you and Sheldon were, like, somewhere south of a relationship, or something."

Amy's smile did not falter, and Penny briefly wondered if the brunette was deranged, or slightly going insane. It was happy mixed with excitement, sadness, interest and was generally disturbing. Like a stalker of some sort. "Right now, we're simply close friends and intellectual partners, but I am not opposed to something like that. There is just something about Sheldon that makes my loins burn, and not in the urinary track infection way, if you get the gist?" Eww. "However, I do not believe that we are on that level, yet. He is still a major flight risk, and still is not boyfriend material. But, I personally think that he can change, if he wanted to." Sheldon could change... _if_, he wanted to. What an assurance that was. "But enough of me and Sheldon! Let's talk about your gorgeous self! I also heard from my coworkers that you were secretly dating your costar from the movie you're working on right now? Is that true?"

And back to the gossip. At least, they were done with the whole getting her as a surrogate issue. "Uh, no, I'm not really dating anyone right now, but I did go on a couple of dates." The brunette squealed (again) and Penny hesitated slapping her hand over her face. Okay, so she did go on a few dates, but those weren't anything serious! She had so much work to do that dating was no longer a priority for her, contrary to who she used to be. Now, it was just work and her twins, and some minor shopping on the side. She could never give up shopping. Ever. But really, despite what the gossip shows were saying, she really wasn't dating any of her coworkers. She did enjoy the PR, though, it was really doing wonders for her reputation. "I'm glad!" Amy chirped, clapping her hands in delight. "Because I saw the guy you were rumored to be dating, and I really disapprove! You deserve someone better! It is my job as your bestie, to ensure that you end up in the arms of a prized catch!"

"Bestie?" The blonde asked, raising an eyebrow, "I'm your bestie?"

"Yes! I know we only met today, but I feel a connection between the two of us. As if we've known each other since we were kids," this time, Amy's smile was less creepy, and was much more natural than the previous ones she sent her. "But don't tell Bernadette, okay? We've known each other for two years now, but I can't quite call her bestie. So, hush hush!"

"What are the two of you talking about, now?" Bernadette asked as she approached the picnic table, grocery bag in hand. She glanced at the ground under the picnic table and swore that she had placed the cooler there. She decided that she must have been imagining things and sat beside the brunette. Amy—for the first time in a while—tore her gaze from the laptop to look at the tiny blonde. "Nothing! Let's talk about your wedding plans!"

Bernadette found it odd how when the video call first started, Penny seemed to be creeped out by Amy, but when she returned, they seemed to be friends. Which wasn't bad, because it was always nice to be friends with everyone.

As long as Amy stopped asking Penny if her womb was ready for another kid.

* * *

It was the moment of truth; everything was on the line, and if they lost now, they would lose everything.

"Leonard, swerve to the right at ten o' clock, and hit him where it hurts!"

"Dodge him, Raj, dodge him! Then unleash the power within or else I am going to run over your Koothrash with my car!"

"Sheldon! Use your spinning punch when Howard comes closer!"

"Dude! Sheldon's coming! Attack! Attack!"

Sheldon clenched his teeth as he repeatedly hit the button on his controller, waiting for the moment that Howard's (newly painted) blue Wolobot moved towards his red Sheldroid. He and Leonard had already planned this before they even came to the park; they would allow the opposing team to win for awhile so they could study their movements, then once they memorized it, they would go for the offense. It was just like child's play, and once they win, Howard and Raj would have to pay for _all_ of their dinners. Plus, Leonard was craving for lobster, and he was not opposed to the idea of seafood for dinner. Well, they really didn't have a fixed dinner for Sundays, so he'd allow Leonard just this once to decide on the food. Besides, Red Lobster seemed more than okay as a reward.

"Mock 4, Sheldon, initiate mock 4!" Leonard ordered from beside him as the hot pink Roboppali came in wheeling towards the green Hofstaborg and the Sheldroid. "Watch and learn, gentlemen," said Sheldon who pulled another controller from his pocket. "Let me show you how it's done." He connected the controllers together and flicked a switch on the side, causing the Sheldroid to spin five times, then extended it's body to twice it's size. With a small clunking sound, it twisted back then slammed it's arm against the Roboppali, causing it to flip backwards onto the grass. "Leonard cut in with our tactic 51A!"

There was a whizzing sound followed by the clunking of metal, and Raj screaming. "Howard! Howard! Help me!" The pink robot struggled to tip back on the ground, while the blue robot held it's own against the green robot. "Can't you see how Leonard is backing me up? You can do it on your own!"

Leonard grinned, moving the slider on the controller to boost the Hofstaborg's force. "Sheldon! They're crumbling! Are you ready for the finishing blow?" The red Sheldroid spun again, two compartments opening at it's side before two spikes appeared. Raj and Howard didn't know if they should just forfeit and spare their robots for the possible damage that Sheldon's robot would cause, or run away and spare themselves. The former red harmless robot now looked like it was a spawn of the devil, sent straight from hell with it's bright red color, nasty looking spikes that emerged from it's sides, and the angry look it had on it's monitor. Sheldon had even went out of his way just to put a tiny LCD monitor at the top of his robot, just so it could have facial expressions. Sheldon even treated the robot like it was it's kid or something; he carried it everywhere, polished it, and even bought the best oil out there. It wouldn't be surprising if the robot was as devious as it looked.

"My Sheldroid has been waiting for this moment for an entire week, now!" Sheldon enthusiastically said, his eyes glinting with excitement at the thought of winning. Because what was better than a well earned victory? He didn't stay up late the last two nights just for his Sheldroid to lose to those sorry excuse for robots! Sheldon Cooper was a winner, and he wasn't going to allow a pink robot (that even had hearts on the side) defeat his masterpiece! Which was why he and Leonard carefully devised their offense for today, even if he had momentarily forgotten that today was the day of their anticipated match. They even invented a combo move that took advantage of the Sheldroid's power and the Hofstaborg's stealth, that would lead to an undeniable victory; the Coofstadter Excision. Once Howard and Raj's robots tried to wheel into their direction, their robots would perform a high powered slam that would ensure the opposing robots destruction. And this was _the_ moment to execute the move, with perfect timing, he cranked the dial under the controller to boost his robot's speed. With one last flick he grabbed the joystick, pushing it forward and accelerating the red robot with full confidence that they would wo_—_

_"Sedoooooooon!"_

And just like that, he lost his momentum; accidentally flicking the stop switch just as the Sheldroid, the Hofstaborg, the Wolobot and the Roboppali crashed into each other at maximum force level. There was a loud clunking noise, followed by a spark, a loud explosion, and the four robots bursting into flames. Short circuit, indeed.

"Oh my god, dude, it's burning! It's burning!"

"Bernie! Bernie! The cooler get the cooler! Bernie? Where'd she go?"

"My Hofstaborg! It's getting eaten by the flames!"

"What are all of you doing? Get the cooler and extinguish the flames!" Sheldon ordered as he watched his robot slowly melting part by part, while getting trapped in a vortex of flames. Howard grabbed his controller from his hands and threw it into the fire along with the others, the flames roaring at the addition of the plastic controllers. Eco enthusiasts would condemn them for this event. He glanced over his shoulder to see Leonard running towards them as he uncapped the lid of the cooler before splashing the contents on the unwanted makeshift bonfire; the fire dying down with a sad sizzle. The four men stared at the partially melted robots, and the light circle of burnt grass surrounding it.

Howard whistled at the sight of the metal oozing down on the grass, they would be so screwed if they were caught. It was a good thing that the grass wasn't too burnt, and was only grazed by the fire. It was the glop of former robots that they'd deal with later, once it cooled and became easier to scrape off without suffering burns. "We are so lucky that there are barely any people at the park today, or else we'd be ban forever." He searched the area for anyone who could have seen the incident and sighed in relief; they were the only ones there. "The coast is clear."

Sheldon fanned his hand in front of his face to get rid of the smell of the smoke, then turned to the two interruptions that caused this mess. "What are the two of you doing here?"

"Wait," Leonard exclaimed as his eyes scanned the perimeter, "why don't we all move away from this place first, before doing anything else? I don't want to get banned from here, this is the nicest park around the neighborhood." The other three scientists wordlessly agreed, and Leonard grabbed both of the twins before moving towards the opposite clearing, near the playground. They stopped once they thought it was far enough from the location of the crime, and hoped that no one saw them walking away from the clearing. Or that they were the ones who caused the small fire.

The theoretical physicist crossed his arms, turning his head down to gaze at the two perpetrators. "Now, that we're all far away from any evidence that we are the culprits—what were the two of you doing away from your appointed area of play?"

Andy's face scrunched up, glancing at his twin then back up at the adult. "Maddie took Andy du-woh-ing!"

Maddie—who still had the said drawing held high above her head—clucked her tongue, and Leonard mentally noted to watch their actions around the twins. They were quick learners at imitating how the adults reacted. "Maddie took cos' Andy took oh-wandge ca-yon! Guh-eeve ca-yon back!"

"Andy not do!" The male toddler argued, his mouth dropping at his twin's claims! He did not take the crayon, because _he_ was the one looking for the crayon! "Maddie took ca-yon not Andy! Guh-eeve back!"

"No, no, no! Maddie not took! Andy took, so Maddie take du-woh-ing!" Maddie waved the drawing above her head, causing Andy to stomp his foot on the grass out of frustration. He just wanted to finish coloring his Mommy and show it to her! Why did his sister have to be so difficult!

"How do they even manage to have an argument with their limited vocabulary?" Sheldon inquired to the others who also had focused their attentions to the bickering toddlers. The only point they argued with each other was about whatever a ca-yon was. Even he—the most intelligent of them all—had not a single clue as to what they were fighting about. This was not worth losing his custom made robot to flames. He would probably never understand children, or their constant babbling on such idiotic things.

"Kids have their own language, I think," suggested Raj, who was still watching the fighting toddlers. The astrophysicist felt a sense of nostalgia at the fighting pair; it was like watching two people he was very closed to, fighting just like old times. "It's like in Rugrats—even though the adults can't understand them, the kids understand each other. Or like in Family Guy where only Bryan the dog can understand Stewie."

"Are you suggesting that we either find a dog or another young child to interpret what they're saying?" Leonard turned to Raj, who had a thoughtful look on his face. "Because if you are, I don't think it works that way."

Raj shrugged, unsure of what Leonard meant, while Howard sighed. "Hey guys, I think we have to clean our mess up before people start packing in. We still have a kite fighting tournament next week, and I don't want to spend Saturday trying to find a new park that Sheldon approves of." The engineer grabbed Raj's arm, pulling his best friend and lightly shoving him towards the direction of the scene of the crime. "Why don't the two of you go and fix this issue with the twins, while Raj and I clean up the mess?"

Sheldon frowned down at the engineer; he wasn't going to let Howard order him around! But he also wasn't going to clean up the mess that the twins had caused them to make. Stalemate. "No. Leonard and I will take the twins to the playground and try to resolve their problem, while you and Raj clean up the mess." Leonard sent him a pointed look, "and then we will have dinner at Red Lobster. And you will pay."

"Isn't that what I said?" Howard asked in irritation.

"Will you, or won't you?" Leonard hurriedly said, hoping that Sheldon doesn't change his mind about having seafood, and that the other two agree to paying for dinner. He and his roommate never objected to free food. Raj raised his hands up, nodding, "yeah, sure, as long as we get to choose what we're going to eat." Sheldon glanced at Leonard for approval, and gave Raj a stern look. "As long as it is to my liking, then we agree." Leonard and Raj shook hands before he and Howard walked off to the opposite clearing. Wonderful, free food of his choosing. He would have to praise Leonard for the great idea, later.

"—no, Maddie! Andy no take! Maddie take! Guh-eeve back du-woh-ing of Mommy!"

"Maddie no take, Andy! Andy take! Dis Maddie's now!"

"Dat Mommy's!"

"Guh-eeve back ca-yon, Maddie guh-eeve back du-woh-ing!"

Huffing, Sheldon grabbed Andy, and hoisted the toddler up on his arm as Leonard did the same with Maddie. Andy mirrored his frown, and when the sunlight reflected in his eyes, he noticed how the toddler's blue eyes were lighter than before, and could now be perceived as a blue-green color. Yes! He was right with his theory that the toddler's eyes would turn green! It was still blue, but he was happy at the fact that he was partially correct. Andy was turning into a mini Penny with each day that passed, excluding the fact that Andy _hated_ sleep, unlike his mother who could sleep all day. "Andy no want up," Andy murmured, pouting slightly at him. "It's the only way to end your petty argument. Would you like to go to the playground?"

"Pay-gohd! Maddie want pay-gohd, peas!" The toddler in Leonard's arms, chirped, still tightly clutching Andy's drawing.

"Sedon," Andy murmured as they walked to towards the giant colorful playground in the middle of the park, "Maddie took Andy du-woh-ing of Mommy. Peas, get back."

Sheldon raised an eyebrow at the toddler then at Maddie who was babbling to Leonard about something he couldn't understand. "Maddie took your drawing? Why?" The toddler shrugged slightly tightening his grip on the fabric of Sheldon's The Thing shirt. "Maddie say dat Andy took oh-wandge ca-yon and took Andy du-woh-ing cos' of it. Andy no took ca-yon, poh-mis!" They stopped when Leonard found an empty bench at the side of the playground and placed Maddie down on the grass. "There is no use fighting over such a silly thing," Sheldon said as he walked over to where Maddie stood, and placed her twin down beside her. The twins glared at each other, before crossing their arms and turning the other way.

"You guys really shouldn't fight, you know," Leonard added, taking a seat on the bench. "There's only two of you, and since your mom isn't here, the more reason that you should stick together and stop fighting."

"But oh-wandge ca-yon muh-sing," Maddie cried, raising her hand above her head when Andy tried to snatch the drawing from her. "Sedon get mad at Maddie."

Sheldon sighed; so that was the reason why they were fighting. The orange crayon was missing, and Maddie thought Andy took it, and that they'd get mad if they discovered that the crayon was missing. Well yes, he would get mad since it was impossible to buy a single orange crayon—buying another set would lead to an overstock of every single crayon color except orange—but he couldn't seem to get mad at the toddler. He was somewhat happy that the toddler put his opinion into consideration, but more annoyed as this was such an idiotic reason to fight over. He'd simply buy them the hundred-something set of crayons—ten boxes even, if it would stop the irrelevant fighting. "I will not get mad at you just because of a crayon. If you stop fighting, and make up, I'll buy both of you a new set of crayons of your own."

Maddie looked up at him, gently lowering the drawing. "Sedon no mad if ca-yon muh-sing? It okay?"

"We wouldn't get mad over something as simple as a crayon," Leonard chuckled, reaching his hand out to pat the worried toddler's head. "So, go apologize to Andy and give his drawing back."

Slightly hesitating, Maddie stepped closer to her twin who held a small frown. She didn't like to say sorry, or realizing that she was wrong, but she would do it, anyway. "Andy, dis Andy du-woh-ing," she handed the drawing to her twin brother who silently took it. "Maddie soh-wee foh say-in' dat Andy took ca-yon. Peas, foh-give Maddie." Like how her brother did it before, Maddie clapped her hands in front of her chest and bowed her head down. It was how the girl on the tv did it, and how Andy got Sheldon to forgive him, so she'll do it, too. She had a feeling she looked funny like that, but she had to do it, because she really didn't want to stay mad at her brother for long. Even though her twin was annoying at times, she loved him a lot. And she really didn't enjoy fighting with him, even if seemed like she did.

"Okay, Andy foh-give Maddie," Andy serenely said; he didn't like fights, and especially hated fighting with his twin sister. Even if she _was_ a big ol' meanie. Besides, she returned his drawing, and had apologized—that was good enough for him. Mommy always said that he shouldn't fight with Maddie, because they were twins and loved each other. He guessed that he did love his sister, even she was a big meanie. Mommy said that that was what brothers did. "Wanna pay at pay-goud?"

Maddie straightened her posture and felt her lips quirking. "Okay!" Andy returned her grin, walking over to Leonard and handing him the drawing before running off with his twin sister towards the playground.

"That may have been the shortest and oddest fight I've ever witnessed," commented Leonard, glancing at Sheldon who was watching the toddlers clamber up on the steps of the playground. He folded Andy's drawing and placed it inside his jacket pocket for safe keeping. "They kind of remind me of you and Penny whenever you fought, before." This comment earned Leonard a glare from Sheldon, who quickly returned his gaze to where the twins where playing. Heaven forbid the twins get injured while playing, or get sick because of one of the five children playing infect them with some unknown incurable disease. "What in the world even led you to that thought?"

"Nothing much. You and Penny used to fight over the silliest things, this kind of reminded me of it." Leonard chuckled, which further intensified the glare Sheldon sent him. "It's even funny to see how much you've grown in the past two years. The Sheldon I know wouldn't even had interacted with children he didn't know, much less help them fix a fight when you can't even forgive me for doing something wrong until _I_ say sorry. It's like you're all grown up!"

Leonard and his idiotic thoughts; he'd have to deal with that later. "Keep that up and you're going to get a strike." His roommate simply sent him an infuriating smile, and he continued following the twins' every action. They were currently taking turns on the spiral slide, loudly laughing and giggling as they slid down the plastic surface. A great playground would be one modeled after the Death Star, or the Enterprise. Or even a jungle themed one. With monkeys. Playgrounds never interested him, not even the slightest bit. What was so fun about slides and swings? Or standing at the top? Nothing, really. What was fun was dropping various objects from the top of said structure, and calculating the speed of the objects descent by simply listening to the sound it made as it collided with the ground. Now, that was fun! He never found playing via physical activities appealing. It was sweaty, tiring, and nauseating. Plus, playing alone was always laughed at. "Do you find playgrounds fun?"

"I guess it's okay," answered Leonard, his gaze shifting to two men who were walking their way. "My mom never allowed any of us to play on one, but one time I went alone, and swung pretty high. I got up about twelve feet before vomiting at the nearest bush." Sheldon nodded, clearly impressed at his roommate's accomplishment. "I find it both impressive and doubtful at the same time that you managed to get so high all on your ow—" the theoretical physicist suddenly stopped talking when his Vulcan hearing picked up something... _unpleasant_.

"—but I think Penny's pretty hot."

"Yeah, but, _come on!_ She has two freaking kids already? What's so hot about that?"

"That's true, but that doesn't change the fact that she's hot. Hey, did she ever say who the dad was?"

"Nah, she said he was all private and crap. I personally think that she doesn't know who the dad is. Cute kids, but who even wants baggage like that? Those kids ruined her."

"I dunno, she's hot but I'm really not ready for kids, you know? 'Specially if the dad is all unknown and stuff. Probably a one night stand, yeah?"

Sheldon's eye twitched and he vividly remembered his previous discussion with Leonard. Back then, he wasn't too interested in the subject of judging Penny just because she had kids, but something about how the two men talked was irking him. He found it utterly disgusting how insensitive these men were. Sure, he still disliked Penny for his own personal reasons, but that didn't mean that he would be okay with people publicly insulting her. Well, Leonard wouldn't be. However, he still found it confusing how knowing that one already has children was off-putting—except if the other person dislikes children. But he really didn't see how the twins ruined his former neighbor's image as he recalled Raj saying that Penny started her show when she already _had_ the twins. Therefore, they were there before Penny even became famous—why was the topic of her having children still subjective to some people? His bigoted, religious nut mother, maybe, but they were in California! Raj practically gossiped about celebrities who were pregnant and or 'hooked up' every other day! Penny having children shouldn't be an issue, anymore.

"I can't imagine even meeting those kids and pretending to be nice to them, when I hate kids. But the way to get to the mom is through the kids, right?"

"Kinda, but who even wants someone else's kids? I don't! That's why no matter how pretty she is, and even if she is a good actress, all I can see is some slutty girl who had a one night stand and got banged up. Pretty messed up, if you ask me."

"Those kids must be screwed up in a way, cause, like, they probably don't know their dad and everything is a secret and stuff? I think that's how it works. Yeah, like in those shows and dramas on tv."

"I don't care about those kids, really. They can go die or something, for all I care. Maybe, if they disappeared, then, _just then_, I might take a liking to Penny. She's hella lot more attractive without those kids."

What was wrong with these people?! Although he disliked the children (at first), he never wished ill things to happen to them! Even he wasn't that bad—the twins were barely two. Yes, he didn't approve of them living with them, and the fact that they could be _anyone's_ children, but wanting them to 'disappear' was just going too far. He had to admit that in the three weeks that the twins stayed with them, he had already grown a liking to them. He still found them annoying—like when they practically caused the fire earlier—but they were starting to be okay in his book. And he also still did not see how the twins' mere presence affected Penny's worth! He thought it to be one of the most stupid thoughts he had ever heard, and even he was gravely offended by it. Penny was now his acquaintances, and if anyone was to mock her career it would be him, and solely because he still didn't see how she was a 'good' actress, and not because of the fact that she already had offsprings! That would be a completely stupid and uncivilized way of thinking!

"Hey, excuse me!" Sheldon heard Leonard—who had bolted up from the bench and stalked after the men—yell, causing him to go after him. "Hey, I'm talking to the two of you!"

The two men paused in their tracks and turned to see the fuming experimental physicist, who was a couple of inches shorter than them. Sheldon found all three of them to be equally puny. "Yeah, what do you want?" NN1 (Neanderthal number one) asked, and Sheldon recognized the voice to be of the man who kept on insulting Penny. "Are you lost, or something?"

"I just heard you talking bad about Penny and her twins!" Leonard confidently accused, his eyebrows extremely close to each other. Penny was his friend, and if there was a chance that he could defend her, he would! Even if these two idiots could beat him to a sad lifeless pulp. Sheldon would surely call 911 without hesitation, if he gets beaten up. He'd even do first-aid while ranting on how stupid he was for standing up against two beefy idiots. "You shouldn't talk bad about people you don't even know."

NN2 (Neanderthal number two) scoffed, and Sheldon decided that he was the one who had interest in Penny. "What's your point? It's a free country, and we can think whatever we want. You got a problem with it?" NN2 scowled, straightening his back to try and loom over Leonard. It wasn't too intimidating as NN2 thought it would be since he was only an inch or two taller than Leonard, and Sheldon mentally chuckled as he stopped beside his roommate. If he didn't intervene, Leonard would surely need an ambulance called. "Yes, actually, we do have a problem with it." Sheldon replied sternly, successfully looming over the two neanderthals who were about as tall as Raj. He noticed that they were subtly muscular, and mentally prepared himself shall they get beaten up. Regardless, his height seemed to do a number on them, as their tough look faltered when he arrived. "You see, Penny is our friend, and we do not appreciate it when simpletons talk badly about her—" he narrowed his eyes, and made sure to sound as threateningly as possible, "and _especially_ about her children."

NN1 laughed mockingly while NN2 seemed to be considering the thinly veiled threat. "Or what? You're going to," NN1 glanced down at Sheldon's shirt, "Hulk smash us?" Sheldon raised an eyebrow, briefly glancing down at his mute orange superhero shirt, then back at NN1. "Unfortunately, this is _The Thing_, and his catchphrase is, it's clobbering time. So, jokes on you."

Sheldon's next statement made both neanderthals wince—even at the calmness of his tone—and Leonard get new found hope that Sheldon would forgive Penny, one day. "I have a strong abhorrence for fights and arguments, therefore I shall make this quick. If you ever talk badly about Penny and or her children ever again, you will come to regret the day that you even misjudged her just because of the fact that she has children. If you even so much as think about it, I will not hesitate to contact my friends in the chemistry department and the best computer hackers I know to track you down, and make sure that a goop of nuclear waste befalls on you, and does opposite of what it does to people in comic books." NN1 and NN2 visibly gulped, "do I make myself clear?"

The two silent neanderthal buddies eagerly nodded, and Sheldon gave them a menacing smile. "Wonderful. Now, please do go on with your boring, irrelevant, useless lives and do make sure that we never cross paths, again." Barely a second later, the two men scurried off, going on and on about the scary, psychotic man that could possibly kill them.

"Whoa, Sheldon," croaked Leonard who was still in awe after what happened. "How did you manage to do that?"

"Simple, I just channeled my inner super villain, then threw in my best Joker impression." Sheldon repeated the menacing smile, and Leonard silently thanked that the one accident Sheldon needed to turn into a super villain had yet to happen. His roommate just found a new skill he was great at; intimidation via channeling the inner dark side. "You should thank me, had I not interfered and interrupted this almost argument, you may have ended up getting beaten into a pulp. Aren't you glad that I helped you out?"

"Yeah, I guess I am—so, thanks. But really how did you do that? You were all sorts of scary back there!" Leonard gave him a small appreciative smile before walking with his roommate towards the playground. He had to admit that he was glad that Sheldon stood up for Penny as he wouldn't have stood a chance against those two men alone. He was also glad that Sheldon put his dislike for their former neighbor aside for whatever reason and defended her. Penny might have not been the purest person out there, but even she didn't deserve that much flak. Penny might have hurt him in the past, by they were past that, and were now back to being close friends. He really wanted Sheldon and Penny to get back to the odd friendship they used to have for the greater good. He even secretly missed acting as the referee in their constant fights over something trivial. This little move from Sheldon really made him feel like it could be possible. "Oh, and thanks for helping Penny. I would've been beaten up if you didn't come."

Sheldon rolled his eyes as they crossed the playground to the sandbox where the twins were playing. "I didn't do it for Penny, or because I care for her. I did it because I knew that you would get into trouble, and you know how much I detest fighting. And bloodbath."

"Why would there be bloodbath?" Leonard humorously asked. "Did you think that they were going to kill me?"

"Partially, yes. But had they broken your nose, you would have turned into a faucet of blood. I don't want my clothes getting soiled, you know that."

Maddie was busy scrutinizing the sand mountain she and her twin built when her ears picked up Sheldon and Leonard's voices. She glanced over her shoulder and found that she was right. "Uncah Wenad! Sedon!"

Andy gave the sand mountain one last pat before helping his twin stand up and standing up to walk over to the two adults. "Andy and Maddie make mah-tehn! See?" He pointed to the single bump on the sandbox, grinning. "Big mah-tehn!"

"That's really cool," remarked Leonard, causing the twins to smile, "what do you say about going back to the others and having lunch?" The toddlers nodded and Leonard proceeded to pick up Maddie, while Andy walked over to Sheldon.

"Sedon, ho-wd, peas?" Andy stuck his hand out to him, and Sheldon frowned. What was with these children and getting carried-slash-hand holding? It was one or the other and their love for physical contact astounded him. They really were Penny's kids. With a small sigh, he grasped the toddlers hand and continued walking back to the picnic table with him. Who knows what will happen if he doesn't assist the toddler in walking and he stumbles and gets hurt? He did, and he wasn't taking any chances.

Besides, the twins were growing on him—and he could definitely make use of them if he ever plans on making his own Death Star.

* * *

Penny yawned through the screen, glancing at her wristwatch then back at the video call. "Guys, it's getting pretty late, don't you think?"

Amy rested her chin on her palm, grinning at the blonde that she'd been talking to continuously for the past few hours. She loved her new friend, and she was certain that their friendship would last for many years. This was so great! Before she only had Sheldon's friends, and now she had a _celebrity_ friend! How the girls back in her high school would be so envious of her new bestie! She wasn't just best friends with the head cheerleader, she was now friends with the most popular girl in the city! It really felt great, she had to admit. "It's never too late, bestie! We can go on and on and never run out of topics!"

"When did they become besties?" Howard asked as he dumped the paper plates in a trash bag. "Did we miss something while playing robot wars?"

Raj sighed heavily as he stared at his deformed robot, "it's the magic of friendship, Howard. Like the kind of friendship my Roboppali and I had... before it signed up for a part time job as a ring!"

"Stop whining," Sheldon snarled, removing his gloves and tossing it into the trash bag that Howard held before taking a seat beside Amy. "My robot got equally as destroyed as yours. I say we fuse all of them together to create an even better robot to crush Kripke's." He quickly grabbed the laptop from Amy's hold—ignoring the brunette's protest—then slid it in front of him. "Penny, hello, it seems you and Amy have reached an impasse as she has passed out from pure questionable excitement of talking to you."

"I didn't pass out!"

"Ignore her," Sheldon cut in, staring at Penny on the screen. "I believe you are tired. Yes? Then I suggest you say your farewells to your children!" He lifted the laptop and traveled towards the blanket where the twins sat. "Twins! Your mother is saying goodbye!"

Penny frowned as her view lowered to the twins' eye level. "Hey! I hadn't even said anything, yet! Are you really in that much of a hurry to get me off the screen?"

Sheldon quickly brought the laptop back to his face before any of the twins got to it. "Please do not misunderstand my need to rush things. Amy has been getting corrupted with each second that passed while talking to you, and shall I not intervene, the conversation would drag on for another couple hours." The blonde blinked at Sheldon, realizing that he had a point. Amy barely allowed anyone—even her kids—to talk to her, and she doubted that the brunette would allow her to disconnect the call. "I get it. You don't want me corrupting your friend—but you don't have to be so mean about it."

"I'm never mean, Penny. You know that," he replied, sounding as though he was tired of explaining it to her. There was a certain kind of sincerity in the tone of his voice, and Penny wondered why he didn't sound as stern and stoic as he did before. Did he finally stopped hating her? Yeah, right. She strongly doubted that Sheldon would just wake up one day and stop disliking her. It didn't matter much to her, as long as he treated her kids kindly. Leonard said earlier that Sheldon even managed to get her twins to stop fighting, again! And that Sheldon really was starting to like her kids. Well good, cause that was the important thing here. She and Sheldon could try to be friends in a different day. "So, go and say goodnight before Amy runs over here and retrieves the laptop."

Andy scrambled to get on his feet as Sheldon couched down, holding the laptop towards them. "Mommy! Wook! Andy du-woh Mommy!" He held the drawing up in front of the screen and Penny wondered why her drawing (she guessed that she was the tall one with long yellow hair that went all over the place) was the only one without skin color. "That's looks wonderful, Andy! And you even added fingers!"

Maddie finished coloring the last part of her drawing, then stood and presented her artwork to the laptop. "Wook, Mommy! Maddie du-woh da det stah!" She tapped her finger on three yellow blob like things, then one brown one. "Dat Mommy, and Andy and Maddie and Sedon on da det stah!" Penny strongly resisted the urge to do a face-palm. What were Sheldon and Leonard even teaching her kids? Barely two years old and yet her daughter already knew what a Death Star was. She wasn't sure if she should be proud, or sad. "Sheldon! Why does Maddie know what a Death Star is?"

"Because, why not?" Sheldon answered, pride dripping from the tone of his voice. "You should be proud of your child's creativity and obvious interest for such wonderful works such as the Star Wars franchise. I am like the Obi Wan to your children, or Yoda, as I am full of wisdom and the person who guides them to a better tomorrow. Before crossing the dark side, of course."

"More like Darth Vader," Penny mumbled as Sheldon turned the laptop back to her twins. "But sure, yeah thanks for teaching them stuff. Whatever will we do without the great Sheldon Cooper?" Sheldon sensed the sarcasm in her tone and frowned, "it's _Doctor_ Sheldon Cooper, and please bear in mind that I am finally getting the hang of sarcasm."

Bernadette was walking back towards the picnic table when she decided to stop by the blanket where the twins, Sheldon and Penny were. Right as she stopped, she felt something hard under her shoe and crouched down to see what it was.

It was an orange crayon.

"Twins," she called, picking up the crayon and wiping it on the hem of her skirt. "Were you looking for this?" Maddie tore her gaze away from her laptop, and felt her eyes widen. "Da ca-yon!" She exclaimed, grabbing her twins wrist and dragging him to where Bernadette was. "Ha! Maddie wong! Andy no took ca-yon!" Bernadette smiled softly at the twins who were fighting over the crayon. She had heard about the little fight from Leonard, and wondered herself where the crayon went. Now that she found it, she had a theory that the crayon rolled off of the blanket and into the grass. Which was probably why neither of the twins saw it.

"Where'd the twins go?" Penny asked, her eyes scanning the screen and seeing nothing but the blanket.

Sheldon turned the laptop to the direction where Bernadette and the twins were. "They seem to have found the missing the orange crayon that they were fighting over. I guess I no longer have to buy them a new box of crayons."

"Why would you even buy them another box of crayons? Can't you just buy a single orange crayon?"

"Penny, don't be silly," Sheldon shook his head at the blonde's silliness, "buying a single crayon would be impossible. Although, seeing that the infamous crayon rolled off to the grass, I might need to buy a new set of crayons as it is most definitely dirty. But that would lead to an over supply of every color except orange... what a conundrum."

The blonde smiled at the physicist who was still rambling on about crayons. If he was the Sheldon she knew, he wouldn't have cared. And seeing him getting slightly worked about it made her feel an odd sense of content. Maybe, times were changing, and she had really misjudged Sheldon. Leonard might have been right, after all. She found it so endearing that Sheldon even cared about the crayon that she didn't even noticed that Sheldon was finally talking to her again.

* * *

**Future;** thirteen years later.

* * *

Andy swung the door open and found the biggest shock of his life. His twin sister's room was an actual pig sty! And he swore that he saw movement underneath the pile of dirty clothes at the corner of his sister's room.

"How do you even live here?" He asked incredulously to her sister who was frowning. His sister's organization skills was one of the worst he had ever seen—which was shocking as Maddie excelled in most things. His twin was even great at sports; tennis, soccer, swimming, baseball—her twin was very athletic, while he... well, he was kind of okay with basketball. Which was a total lie, because they only recruited him for his height. But he did okay with football, he understood everything there was to understand about it—but he strongly feared that he'd get hurt, which was why he only sat with the coach to help plan their plays. He was actually really good at doing that. Maddie, on the other hand, was so athletic that a lot of people were shocked that outside sports, his twin was studious and introverted. Unlike him, who wasn't introverted but was only _kind of_ friendly. Kind of. "Did that pile just move?! I think it moved!"

"That's probably just Bowser jr. playing underneath the mess." Andy continued to stare at her, wondering why her sister was so calm about the idea of their dog playing underneath these garbage. Their dog might even lose oxygen because of it! His sister's (dis) organizational skills were clearly affecting her—not as smart as his—brain. Maddie turned to him before plowing through the piles of clothes on the floor. "It only got this dirty because I was looking for Pooh!" She placed her foot underneath one pile, then brought it back and kicked the clothes into the hamper near her desk. A perfect shot—his twin's skills at sports was really something. Too bad she sucked at cleaning. "So, why did you even bring me here? If it was here, I would've seen it already! And I have a match in four hours—make it quick."

"Maybe, if you learned to clean and fix your things, you might see it." His twins' room was horrifying, and he briefly wondered how they were even siblings. His room was always neat and clean, and everything that could be alphabetically organized was correctly stored. Even his clothes was color coded in his closet—which was why their mom even asked him to fix hers, which was as messy as his sister's. "Wait, give me a moment." Andy furrowed his eyebrows as he scanned the mess; looking for any indicator that the doll was there. But it was nearly next to impossible as his twin sister was living in a jungle!

Ten minutes of pure silence and concentration later, he saw something brown-ish peeking out of the pile of clothes. He marched towards and it quickly pried it out, revealing the now brown Winnie the Pooh doll. Eww. The doll seriously needed a hot scalding bath—and so did his hands, after touching that pile of pure disgust. "Why did this turn brown? He's supposed to be yellow!"

Maddie scurried to him, grabbing the doll and holding it tightly against her chest. "It's a tan! Pooh got a tan! Got a problem with that?"

"No, I don't," Andy sighed, "now that I've proved that you have literally zero organizational skills, will you please leave me be? I really want to finish my book."

"I guess," Maddie said, scanning around her room. Her twin was right—her room was a mess, but she had seen worse. "Wait, could you help me clean up my room? Please?"

Andy stared at his twin sister who was sending him a pleading look. His sister was a gigantic jerk, and often got mad at him over the littlest things. She was also a know-it-all when it came to school, and was a sore loser when he got a higher grade than her. Plus, she was annoying seventy percent of the time. But he _was_ her last hope, unless she wanted to get reprimanded for the mess. He shrugged, let it never be said that he ignored the cries of the greater evil in trying to fix her life. He was such a good brother. "Yeah, sure. Why not?"

Fifteen years of living together had prepared him for dealing with his sister's cons. That, and the fact that he loved his twin sister, even if she was incredibly annoying most of the time.


	6. Cover Curiosity

**It's my birthday in a couple of hours! Yay for getting another year older!**

**We are now in the fourth week of the twins' stay! A month done, another month left!**

**To Leanne: *updates once per year* Writing Sheldon only noticing the traits they got from Penny is fun, I must admit! Yes, and I'm sure you'll like the next chapter as it features her heavily! The twins fight all the time, but in the end they love each other, and they are slowly getting brainwashed by the guys, too! Leonard has matured, and there will even be a chapter regarding how it happened. I'm glad that you're all liking how I paced the storyline, I'm not really fan of those stories were everything just happens in one second, which is why the truth is taking so long to be revealed. But it will be soon! And I hope the chapter will be to all of you guys' liking! And thank you! Another year older, not necessarily wiser! :-D**

* * *

Stuart looked up from the stack of comic books that had just been delivered as Raj and the others walked inside the store. What made him completely stop from counting the comic books was the sight of Sheldon carrying a little girl, and holding the hand of another similar looking toddler. "Hey guys, how's it going? I thought you guys weren't going to come today. This is the first time you've ever been late for more than twenty minutes."

"Hey, Stuart," greeted Raj with a smile, "yeah, sorry we're a bit late. We had to stop by the mall to get some things."

Sheldon snorted as he placed the toddler on top of the counter, then placed a plastic bag beside her. "We had to buy sippy cups that were up to these children's requirements." He bent down, lifting the other toddler and sat him beside the female toddler. "It was a now or never situation. Now, enough of this banal chit chat. Do you have our comic books?"

Stuart wordlessly nodded, turning and taking the comic books he saved for his friends. "Yeah, here they are," he handed it to Sheldon, who proceeded to give it to the other three men before placing the comic books in his messenger bag. "So, uh, who are the kids?" He gestured to the two toddlers sitting quietly on top of the counter that was apparently sturdier than it looked. Two blonde heads both turned to face him and he found them looking very... familiar. It was like he'd seen both of them before, but he wasn't sure where or who they looked like. But, he had to admit, they were very cute toddlers that were looking very intimidating with the way they were scrutinizing him.

Leonard walked over to them, "uh, that's Andy and Maddie. They're Penny's kids."

"Penny?" Stuart repeated, raising his eyebrows at the tiny scientist. "Blonde, beautiful, once went out with a date with me then with with Leonard and is now one of the most talked about celebrities right now?" The four men all nodded—each doing an activity of their own—and Stuart returned to staring at the toddlers. So, that's why the seemed so familiar! He had spent a lot of (depressing) days drawing and perfecting the image of Penny, and so he knew every single facial feature that the blonde had. He wasn't obsessed, but he could draw Penny's face completely by memory. The male one—who was playing with a Wolverine action figure that was on the counter—looked a lot like Penny. His nose was kind of the same, he had the same shape of her face, the same ears; even his eyes (which was currently a light blue-ish green) were the same! The only thing the kid, who was already Penny's carbon copy, had that wasn't from his mom, was his smile. His smile was familiar, but not Penny-familiar. Even the happy glint he had while playing with the toy was not from Penny, but he swore that he had seen it before.

The female one—who was scrutinizing a deck of cards—looked a lot like Penny, as well. But she also didn't look like Penny, at the same time. Which Stuart found confusing, as how could someone possibly look and not look like someone? The toddler didn't have the same eyes, or the same nose, or the same shape of her face—but she did have the same smile as Penny's. She greatly resembled her mother, but not as much as the other toddler did. The kid must look more like their dad, than Penny, and Stuart was sure that the kid would grow up to be as beautiful as her mother. But still, she really looked like Penny, and looking at one of his sketches of her, she was also a mini Penny. Especially when the toddler frowned—it reminded him so much of Penny when she was sad. Not that he saw her sad often, he just knew what she looked like when she didn't like something, and the kid was definitely channeling her right now.

"So, you're going back to work?" Stuart heard Howard ask Sheldon, and he decided to return to doing his daily inventory check.

Sheldon sullenly nodded, glancing at the twins to see what they were up to. "Yes, as I have consumed all two weeks of my remaining vacation time, I can now return to work without anyone threatening to ban me into another vacation. Speaking of which," he turned, abandoning the box of comic books and making his way back to the counter. "Stuart, did you get me the things I asked for?"

The comic book owner looked around, and spotted the aforementioned things. "Uh, yeah. When you first asked me to get these, I wondered what it was for," he bent down, taking the newly delivered stack of magazines and placing it on top of the counter before reaching for the plastic bag. "But now that I see who they're for, I think I understand."

Maddie tilted her head to the side when the sad looking man placed a stack of thin books beside her. Curious, she scooted over to it and found herself startled at what she saw—it was Mommy, her and Andy! On the book thing! She turned back to her twin, repeatedly smacking his arm to get his attention. "Andy! Andy! Wook!" She pointed to the stack, and Andy moved from the edge of the counter to the stack. "Dat Andy, Maddie and Mommy! Yes?"

Sheldon frowned as the twins moved from their places and placed the bag filled with toddler sized superhero shirts on the counter. "What are you two going on about?" The toddlers both pushed the stack of magazines towards him, and he raised an eyebrow. It was one of those magazines that Penny and Raj subscribed to that featured a celebrity per issue. Penny's apartment used to be filled with subscriptions of the magazine, and when he took a gander at it, he found it to be irrelevant. He never understood why Penny chose paying for the subscription rather than buying her own food. What got his attention, however, (and probably the twins', as well) was the cover of the magazine. It was Penny, wearing a bright red dress, smiling widely at the camera as she held up a trophy in front of a white background. On both sides of her, were two stools; on one stool was Andy wearing a grey suit while holding a bonded stack of papers, with a curious expression on his face and on the other stool was Maddie, wearing a white dress, who was throwing her own bonded stack of papers in the air with a smile on her face. In front of the three of them were the words 'Superstar Actress By Day, Super Mom For Life' in bright blue letters.

He found the front cover to be quite enthralling—he had to buy it.

"Stuart," he started, finally tearing his gaze from the interesting magazine cover. "Since when did you start selling these types of magazines?"

"Well, some of the customers wanted to buy other magazines like Playboy, and Vogue, so I ordered various magazines." Sheldon took another glance at the magazine cover, then back at the twins; an unknown feeling creeping up on him. Without a second thought, he grabbed his wallet and handed Stuart the money for his comic books, the superhero shirts, and the magazine. Stuart took one of the magazines and handed it to him, a small look of curiosity on the artist's face. "I just realized that the twins who are currently sitting on my counter are the twins in that cover," Sheldon took the magazine, and Stuart handed his phone to him, "they're technically celebrities, so can you take a picture of the three of us?"

Leonard took the camera from the unwilling physicist and lifted it up, "I'll take the picture. Twins, Stuart wants to take a picture with you!"

Andy smiled—he liked taking pictures! Whenever Penny brought them along to the set, various people would give them candy, then take pictures with them. Maddie didn't like pictures too much, but if Penny told her to smile, she would smile. They were also accustomed to getting photographed; a normal day out usually meant paparazzi trying to take a picture of Penny. They also had been featured in several magazines with their mother, the one Sheldon just bought being one of them. "Maddie, take pic-cha!"

Maddie gave him a small frown before Stuart placed his head in between the two of them, and she smiled. She didn't like pictures as much as her brother did, but sometimes she enjoyed the attention. Though, there were times when the three of them would go out for ice cream and a lot of adults would try to talk to them, and take pictures. She hated that—but her mother had said that it was part of her job, so they had to just smile and go along with it. But it could really get annoying at times.

"Thanks!" Stuart said once Leonard handed him the camera back. "I can't believe I got a picture with celebrities! Well, a celebrity's kids, but it counts, right?"

Sheldon ignored the comic book store owner who was talking with Leonard and walked over to the twins. "Here. Don't rip it up, or chew it or eat it," he passed the magazine to Andy who immediately stared at the cover. It must have been astonishing for the children to see themselves on something such as a magazine. "You might choke if you do any of those actions, and your mother will not be happy if that happens." The toddlers grinned up at him in appreciation before returning to staring at the published photo of them and their mother.

Knowing that they were going to ignore him, he moved on to the plastic bag Stuart handed him and opened it to see the contents. He had previously asked Stuart to get him an array of superhero shirts in the twins' sizes as all of the clothes at the mall were completely lacking. It was either Spiderman, Superman or Batman, there was absolutely no variety, and barely any shirts for Maddie. Who would even want a pajama set with Tinkerbell on it? Most definitely not any child temporarily living under his roof. He'd allow Winnie the Pooh, the Toy Story cast, and every other Disney character (except Goofy) but there was a fine line between Tinkerbell and Piglet who could either be a boy or a girl. Besides, Raj already did his own shopping, and now Maddie had enough Disney Princesses clothes to last her a lifetime. As he was now getting sick of Disney characters, he finally brought it to himself to spread light on these sheltered toddlers' lives.

He got them superhero shirts!

And that wasn't all—he even got them Star Wars, Star Trek, and Lord of the Rings themed clothing! If he was not the epitome of generosity, then he didn't know who was.

Sheldon looked at the list of designs for both Andy and Maddie. There were; The Flash, Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Nightcrawler, Justice League, Teen Titans, Avengers, separate members of the Avengers, X-Men, separate members of the X-Men, Spiderman, Deadpool, and various other superheroes. Then he even took the liberty of getting them _matching _shirts! He had matching Fantastic Four Johnny and Sue Storm shirts, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, Batman and Catwoman, Luke and Leia, R2D2 and C3P0, Frodo and Sam, Spock and Kirk and other favorite duos of his. He briefly debated on getting them Game of Thrones shirts, but he didn't want the twins to end up like Cersei and Jaime—or any of the Targaryen members. The four of them were even brainstorming on what costumes they could get the twins, and what they could wear for Halloween, if they were to still be lodging with them by then. So far, it was either the Storm siblings, Luke and Leia, or Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, as they wanted to stick with the siblings theme. Howard suggested Cersei and Jaime, and that effectively killed their excitement at dressing the twins up. If there was something Sheldon desperately wanted the twins to do, it was to _never_ even try and act like those two. Ever.

"Dat foh Andy and Maddie?" Maddie asked, peering down at the giant bag filled with clothes.

"Yes. I got you new shirts, see?" Sheldon pulled out a pastel green shirt that had the Green Lantern's insignia on it. "This is for you. Now, you can stop wearing those hideous dresses that your mother packed." Andy lifted his face from the cover of the magazine, and scowled at the shirt. "Das Andy get, too?" A green shirt was brought out, and the toddler smiled in content. Children and presents—he'd never really understand.

"Hey, Sheldon we have everything we need," Howard called as he lifted the plastic bag filled with comic books. "Do you have everything you need? We'll be late for HALO night, and we all know that you wouldn't like that."

Sheldon stuffed the shirts back in the plastic bag, handing it to Leonard before taking the magazine from Andy's hands and placing it in his messenger bag. Once he had everything in place, he lifted Andy and placed him on the ground, then proceeded to carry Maddie. He had certainly gotten used to carrying the toddler everywhere. Maddie seemed to have a preference of getting him to carry her, and after the fourteenth protest, he finally agreed to her demands. Besides, it could be considered as exercise, and one that wasn't too strenuous or tiring like playing sports. "You are in correct in thinking that, and yes, I am done."

Stuart watched the entire scene closely, and even after the four friends (and two toddlers) left, he found himself oddly curious with what just happened. It wasn't too noticeable, but the unfamiliar look that the male toddler had, was slightly similar to the expression Sheldon had as Raj started a debate about superheroes. It wasn't completely the same, but the toddler—Andy, he thinks his name is—and Sheldon's frown had the same dip, and the same intimidating effect to it... was is possible that...?

But thinking about facial expressions wasn't his priority, right now. It was doing inventory on all of the magazines and books that were in his store. How fun.

* * *

Red. Yellow. Green. Those were the excruciatingly bright colors that were mocking him as he did his work. They were inanimate—motionless, yet they had such an odd effect on him. They made him want to scream, get angry, and jump out of the window behind him. Exaggerating, he was not, they were as provoking as a duel. The colors hadn't even been in the room for long, just an hour or two, yet he wanted to grab them, throw them out the window, and make sure that it lands on Kripke's car. Or Winkle's. Or Howard's.

Sheldon was that mad at the stupid colorful playpen that sat on the right side of his office, where the twins were currently playing at.

It was the only logical answer to a problem that the four of them pondered for days on end. With his return to work, the twins had no one to look after them, and so they decided to temporarily bring them to work. The big problem was that, Howard and Leonard _did not_ have offices of their own, and were sharing the room with their fellow Oompa Loompas. Raj's office was too small to accommodate the twins and their things, with Raj's unnecessary life size cutouts of Jon Snow, Daenerys and Robb Stark that he desperately wanted to destroy. Each time he went there, the cutouts seemed to want to skin him alive, and he didn't like that. Therefore, the only place the twins could stay at, was his office. It was déjà vu, and he mentally noted to add 'university daycare' to add to the suggestion box outside Siebert's office. And that they scout for a satisfactory daycare that was easily accessible.

The only good thing about bringing the toddlers to work was that all four of them would take care of the twins. He got the easiest task—housing them, and he didn't care much about what the others were supposed to do.

"Coopah, we sewiouswy need to talk about the scheduwe fow ouw fusion weactow." Sheldon looked up—briefly wondering if Andy's voice suddenly matured—and saw Kripke standing in front of his door, staring at the twins.

"Awe those toddwews?" Kripke slightly bent down to take a closer look at the blonde toddlers who were completely ignoring him. The first toddler, who was wearing a light green shirt with Deadpool on it, looked like a girl, but the haircut told him otherwise. The second toddler was definitely a girl, and was wearing a pastel green shirt with She-Hulk and the Hulk on it. Then he glanced at Sheldon, who was wearing a disgustingly bright yellow shirt with random shapes and figures and Professor X on it. They looked like they were wearing matching father-children outfits. "When the heck did you have kids?"

"Kripke," Sheldon spoke up, glancing at his rival, "we have gone over this many times before. I get to use the weac—_reactor_ whenever I want, and you can only use it when I say you can use it." Kripke was still standing there, staring at the twins. "If you are still unable to comprehend that, then I shall send you an email explaining it in your obvious level of intellectual capacity. Now, please leave my office." Kripke raised an eyebrow at him, then continued staring at the twins who were busy building blocks. They looked kind of familiar, but he couldn't say where he had seen him before. "So, who awe these kids?"

"They are Andy, and Maddie." The theoretical physicist said with a bored tone, flipping the page of the reference book he was reading. "They're Penny's kids, not mine."

"Woxanne's? Woxanne that use to wive acwoss youw apawtment? The one who's weally famous wight now, and is wumowed to powtway Bwack Canawy in the Gween Awwow movie?"

"I'm not sure how I understood that, but yes, Penny the actress, and my former neighbor." Sheldon lifted his gaze and found Kripke still standing in front of the playpen. "If you're done, you may leave my office. The door's right there." Kripke held up a hand to him, fully crouching down and getting the twins' attentions. The two blonde toddlers both paused, their heads slowly turning to face the plasma physicist who was curiously staring at them.

Andy blinked at the strange man, his hand still placed on the blue colored block that he had placed on the tower of blocks that he and his twin was building. He gently added it at the top, then turned his head to meet the stranger's gaze. "Hi." Maddie's head snapped to face his, a very affronted look on her face as she pushed him backwards. "Andy," Maddie whispered loudly, "dat stuh-nger! No talk to stuhn-nger, Uncah Wenad say."

"His name is Barry Kripke," the theoretical physicist informed, "he works here at the university. And he calls your mother 'Woxanne."

"I caww hew _Woxanne_, not Woxanne," Kripke hissed before turning back to the twins. "You know, I vowunteewed to babysit fow Mrs. Davis, and I'd wike some expewience."

"Why did you volunteer for Mrs. Davis?"

"Because, she's pawt of the tenuwe committee, and a spot just opened, and I'm getting it." Sheldon nodded; he knew about the new tenure position that opened up, and that he was one of the people in the shortlist along with Raj and Leonard. He and Mrs. Davis had an odd relationship, but he considered her as his friend after she had helped him with a problem Wolowitz had with one of his potential assistants. Plus, Mrs. Davis was the one who recommended him for tenure, and that automatically made her his friend. There was no doubt about it that he'd get the tenure, but he'd allow Kripke, Raj and Leonard to keep on dreaming. "So, can I pwactice with these kids ow what?"

Sheldon sighed, even if he said no, he knew that Kripke wouldn't leave. "As long as you don't do anything to contaminate their minds into supporting your field of science, then go ahead." He flipped another page of his book, his eyes darting to Kripke, "but you can only interact with them here."

"Yeah, suwe, suwe," Kripke answered, and Sheldon returned to working as Kripke opened up the playpen. "So, chiwdwen! What is it that you wike to do?"

Andy looked at his sister for approval before answering the man's question. "Andy and Maddie wike to pay."

"Pay?"

"_Pway_," Maddie corrected, returning to her tower of blocks. "Fun pway! And cowowing, too."

"Kip-keh want pay, too?" Andy asked, holding out a bucket filled with blocks. Barry furrowed his eyebrows before shrugging. "Yeah, suwe, why not." The male toddler grinned, patting the carpeted ground for him to sit on. When they first arrived at the room, Sheldon had told them not to sit on the floor until he was done 'vacuuming' the carpet. After the cleaning session, Sheldon told them that they were now allowed to sit and play on the floor. "Maddie, Kip-keh pay, too!"

Kripke sat crossed leg in front of them, dumping the blocks on the floor. All he needed to do was play with them—he'd remember that when he actually babysits those kids. He didn't want to, but drastic times call for drastic measures—and with that tenured position, it would be easier to get the equipment he needs for his research. "By the way, my name is Kwipke, not Kip-keh." The male toddler turned to him, looking curious while the female continued to ignore him. The female one sure had an attitude problem, but at least the male one was willing to fix his mistakes. "It's _Kwipke_."

"Kip-keh."

"_Kwipke_."

"Kip-keh."

"Kuh-wip-ke."

"Kup-keh."

"Kuh."

"Kuh."

"Wip."

"Wip."

"Keh."

"Ke."

"Kwipke."

"Kip-uh-keh!"

Well that was a complete waste of time, Kripke thought as the toddler continued on enthusiastically chanting _Kip-uh-keh_ with much emphasis on the uh. He felt somewhat stupid talking to a baby, but he would rather look stupid, than everyone making fun of him getting called Kip-keh. So, Kip-uh-keh, it was. It was better than being called Kwipke by some of the other scientists—this was a toddler, and toddlers mispronounced things all the time. But maybe he could do better with the female twin, since she seemed a bit more better with articulation. With a smile that he saved for kids, he turned to the female toddler who was adding a triangle block up to her tower. "Do you know my name?"

Maddie gazed at her tower then removed the triangle block, "Kip-key."

Wrong. "Actuawwy, it's _Kuh-wip_—"

The female toddler stilled, her head slowly turning to meet him, and Kripke met a pair of clear blue eyes that were so intimidating, that he momentarily forgot he was staring at a toddler. Her gaze was so intense, that Kripke felt himself wince as the kid held the glare. How could a toddler look so menacing—while being a toddler?! And why was the glare so familiar, as if he'd seen it time and time before? He knew where he had seen it before, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. Like those words that suddenly disappear from your mind, right when you need them. "Uh, yeah, I guess Kip-key is cwose enough." The female toddler's glare dropped, and changed into a look of pure disinterest. "So, what awe you making? Is that a towew?"

Maddie nodded, replacing the green arc shaped block for a blue one. "Big towah, wike da em-piwe staht buh-ding." Andy tilted his head to inspect the tower, taking a triangle block and placing it on top of the arc. "Andy want big, big, big towah! A scawy towah!"

Kripke started building his own tower, he found it amusing how the toddlers considered tall towers as scary. "I've been to the Empire State Building, you know. It was weawwy taww and even I thought that I was gonna faww!"

"Kip-uh-keh not get scawed? Big towahs scawy!" Andy commented, staring at the stranger in awe. His mother had once showed him a picture of the Empire State Building, and they had once passed by it when they were in New York. He and his sister wanted to go inside, but they had to hurry up and get to where Penny had to be. So, he and his sister often built the building and pretended as if they had been to it. "It wasn't scawy at aww. Taww buiwdings awen't scawy, it's the feaw of fawwing that's scawy. Fawwing at the height would compwetewy obwitewate and cwush anyone!"

Maddie gasped, looking at the stranger then back at the tower she and her twin were making. "Dat big? Dis towah big, too?"

"I think you should make it biggew, tawwew!" Kripke searched the blocks that the male twin gave him, and added blocks to the tower. "Thewe! Just wike that! I bet that it's taww enough to kiww an ant."

"But ant nice!" Maddie exclaimed in shock, placing a hand over her mouth as Andy shook his head. "Ant nice, dat wat Mommy say! No make bye bye!"

"I'm not sewiouswy going to kiww an ant! Unwess of couwse, they bite me! Then I'd squish them into yestewday!" Kripke made a punching movement, and laughed. "Have you evew been bit by an ant befowe?"

Andy hummed in thought, "Andy got ouch when Andy, Mommy and Maddie eat at picnic." He pointed to a spot on his knee, "dat got ouch! Andy cwy, too!"

Sheldon furrowed his eyebrows at the scene in front of him. It had gone on too long, and he had finally had enough. He barely understood a word that the twins were saying on a daily basis, yet there Kripke was, engaging in a full fledged conversation with the twins. Their conversation was filled with mispronounced words and the misuse of the letter W. He already felt his head throbbing due to the conversation, and he wasn't even listening to them! He only heard snippets of it during the mental pauses he made while flipping a page. He had never experienced such a horribly spoken conversation that he had even started to doubt the use of L and Rs in a few words—like hemorrhage, because one of the veins in his body was close to doing that. He had never had gone through something so mentally painful that he had to stop this madness before his head explodes. "What in the world are you even talking about?!"

"Weawwy taww skyscwapews and buiwdings."

"Scawy towahs!"

"Buh-dings."

It was torture to his ears—when he has his own children, he was going to make sure that they would have perfect articulation, enunciation, diction and everything that these three humans were lacking. He'll give them names that were riddled with Ls and Rs; like Lalonde and Regenerate, so that they'd get used to saying their names properly. Andy couldn't even pronounce Andrew right, and it always came out as _Andoo_. He'd have to do something about that, or else he'd fail as a temporary de-facto guardian.

"Kripke, how are you even keeping up with that conversation?" Sheldon switched his attention to the door where Leonard stood, looking as confused as ever. "Even I didn't understand a word!"

"Leonard, hello," the experimental physicist raised an eyebrow at his roommate. He had been in the office for a while now, and had heard enough to make him scream. "Hey, Sheldon. Kripke, what are you even doing with the twins?"

Kripke looked up at him, returning the blocks into the bucket. "I'm pwaying with them cause I'm going to schmooze Mrs. Davis into getting me that tenuwed position by babysitting hew chiwdwen, and I'm using these toddwews as pwactice." He checked his wristwatch before proceeding to stand up, "boy, time does fwy by when you'we having fun! I have to go to use the gwid computew befowe someone manages to get my scheduwe."

"Kip-uh-keh!" Andy called, making Kripke turn around, "pay again?"

"Yeah, of couwse!" The twins grinned happily up at their new friend. "Thanks fow the fun time spwouts! Untiw next time." He waved at the toddlers seated on the floor before exiting the office, completely forgetting about the schedule he needed to discuss with Sheldon.

Leonard and Sheldon stared at the empty doorway, still unable to comprehend what had just happened. "Is it just me, or did they have fun with Kripke, just like that?" Sheldon bitterly snarled, the memory of the twins insulting him still fresh in his mind.

"I think it's cause they understand each other," commented Leonard, "anyway, I came here to get the twins. I was thinking of showing them the new experiments I've been conducting, then I'd bring them to the engineering room so that Howard could have some time with them."

"Of course! My head has been throbbing ever since my senses took notice of that torturous cacophony." Sheldon pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to lessen the headache he was currently having. "It's like getting your skull drilled without undergoing anesthesia." Leonard walked over to the playpen, lifting Maddie and helping Andy stand up. "I wish I could disagree with you, but I myself am having a headache."

Andy toddled over to Sheldon's desk, placing his hands on the edge and grinning at the physicist. "Sedon! Kip-uh-keh pay again, peas?"

Maddie nodded from Leonard's arms, "Kip-key fun! Kip-key talk funny!"

"Yes, Kripke _does_ talk funny, huh?" Leonard chuckled, adjusting Maddie before grabbing Andy's hand. "Now, come on. We're gonna let Sheldon have some time to clear his head while we go and bother Howard. How does that sound?"

"Okay!" Maddie agreed for the both of them, waving at Sheldon as they left the room.

Sheldon took a deep breath as Leonard closed his door, he could finally get some work done.

—

Howard was in the middle of adjusting the M.O.N.T.E. 2.0 when Leonard, Raj and the twins walked in.

"New obot?" Maddie asked as Leonard placed her on a stool, while Andy chose to stand next to the table that reached just under his chin. "Andy and Maddie pay obot, too?"

Raj grabbed the toys that Howard built for the twins and handed it to them. "No, _these_ toys are for you two, as this robot isn't for playing—it's for fighting! M.O.N.T.E 2.0 is way more advance than any of our personalized robots combined, and has a buzz saw!" The three men high fived at the sight of the enhanced saw that sat atop the robot skeleton. This time, their killer robot was going to be better than ever, and would easily destroy Kripke's stupid robot without even a bat of an eye. They had sacrificed the Sheldroid, Hofstaborg, Roboppali and Wolobot to create this metal monster, and they were going to make sure that it was the best. "What are you currently working on?"

"I'm cutting the edges before adding on the hidden compartments for the mini flamethrower." Howard gestured to the laser on the table then to the cut on the surface of the metal. "Then I'm going to make another compartment here for the extendable sucker punch."

"The one that the Sheldroid had?" Leonard moved towards the second table where the metal compartments were elevated. "Sheldon's going to kill you for stealing the idea." Raj and Howard moved to the second table where the compartments that Howard were building were. "Hey, it's twenty-five percent his robot, too! So, he won't mind me using his idea. Besides, if it's for the greater good, why get mad?"

Raj lifted the compartment that had three revolvable circle compartments inside. "And what is this for?" He placed a finger on the metal ring that bounded the circles, flicking his finger and making it spin. "It's for the three hundred ultra sharp spikes that will be bunched and launched together when wanted—it's sharp enough to kill!" Howard proudly explained, grabbing the bunched up needles, "don't even ask how I got these, or else you'll get deported back to India." He placed the needles back on the table then lifted the sword looking apparatus on the other side of the table. "And this is another secret that will launch from M.O.N.T.E. 2.0's chest! What do you guys think of multiple flamethrowers?"

"Sounds great!" Leonard grinned, fumbling with the compartment that had the label 'flamethrowers' on it. "Oh, which reminds me, I have to ask you guys' opinion on something."

"What is it? Girl trouble? Wanna sue a restaurant for serving you dairy filled food when you specifically said non-dairy?" Howard guessed as he adjusted the flamethrowers compartment, adding a second tube where they could place gasoline. "No, it's about Sheldon."

"Yeah, what about him? Just spit it out."

"How is his progress doing? Is there even any progress? Did I do the wrong thing and somehow manage to make matters worse?" Leonard rambled, grabbing a screwdriver and screwing in the bolts on one of the compartments. It had already been a month since the twins first arrived at their apartment, and he still wasn't sure if he made the right decision. This could end well, badly, worse, or in something akin to a nightmare that could possible traumatize children and adults alike. "It's been a month, and all there is is small progress. Barely even a leap, if you ask me. What if she doesn't tell him the truth?"

Raj tinkered with the sucker-punch arm, "in my opinion, everything is going well. Can't you see the progress that is happening right in front of our eyes? It's big—huge, even. You know how Sheldon is, and how he reacts to everything. In a just a month, there is a showing of change, and that's good enough progress for me. If she doesn't tell him the truth, then we'll tell him the truth. Unless he figures it out by himself. What do you think Howard?"

"I think," Howard placed the flamethrower dummy into the compartment to check if he got the measurement right, "that you're all getting worked up over nothing. There's still a month left, and a lot can change in a month. In fact, we can all die within four weeks and we wouldn't even know it. But, seriously, Bernie asked me the same thing, and I don't understand why you're all worried. I think everything will be just fine, trust me." He removed the dummy, then twisted the compartment around to tighten it's lock on the metal bar where the flamethrower would be attached. "Besides, if this doesn't pull through, think about the mess we would be caught up in." The three friends nodded in unison, cringing at the thought of what they had to endure if everything doesn't go as they wanted to.

"Well, I guess you guys are right," Leonard sighed, placing the compartment and the screwdriver down. "There's still four weeks left, and who knows, maybe Penny will—" Leonard was cut of by the sound of a laser firing, and a wall getting obliterated by it's force. They all turned towards the first table, where Andy was standing wide eyed in front of the laser, looking very guilty, while Maddie quickly pointed a finger at her twin. "Andy do!"

Four weeks was long enough for more progress, and they knew that Sheldon could do it.

* * *

Nearly two and a half hours later, Sheldon found himself curious on something he forgot to remove from his messenger bag.

The magazine with Penny and the twins on it.

He was already finished with the work he was doing when he received an email from iTunes advertising Penny's show, _Halfway There_. He normally ignored these emails and would immediately put them in his junk folder, but it was what had reminded him of the uncharacteristic magazine that he had bought the other day. How he forgot about it, he didn't know, but he spent good money on it, so he would read it. Besides, it was just one of those lousy magazines that either had gossip or fashion articles that simply was not to his liking. Raj had a bin full of publications as such, and had once forced him to read one. The magazine was full of gossip and unknown people that he considered burning it to spare anyone else who might ever be forced to read it. But alas, he remembered that magazines like these were mass produced, and that it wasn't just Raj who bought trash like those.

With a small sigh, he pulled the glossy magazine out of his messenger bag and was again, stuck staring at the simple yet interesting cover. He didn't understand it, but there was something about the three blondes that heavily interested him into buying the magazine. There was nothing extravagant about the picture, it was just the three standing in front of a white background while doing their own pose. He enjoyed the look of curiosity in Andy's face as he pretended to read the script, and the bright smiling face of Maddie as she threw the papers in mid air. The toddler always had a knack for creating a mess, and he wasn't surprised to see that her smile was genuine. Then, there was Penny on the cover who looked... nothing like the Penny he once knew. She was in full makeup, with her hair styled and shiny, and she looked happier than he had ever saw her. There was just something about the way his former neighbor's eyes lit up in the picture, and how her smile screamed out that she was happy. He was sure that it wasn't because of the golden trophy in her hands as the prestigious Emmys were later that month, and it was apparent that the picture was taken before the twins came to live with them as Andy's hair was much shorter in the picture.

He removed the plastic sleeve it was in and flipped through the pages until he reached the directory. Penny's article was somewhere in the middle, and after a string of 'what to wear,' 'advice corner,' and a bunch of other nonsensical articles, he found the start of Penny's article.

The first page was of Penny in sweat clothes, sitting down on a chair in front of a makeup table, leaning her body towards it as she grinned. Then sitting on the makeup table was Andy in his pajamas, who was smiling happily as he flicked a brush against his mother's cheek. On the right side of them, was a couch where Maddie sat, applying lipstick on herself and obviously trying to imitate the makeup her mother had, the second page had the words, 'She Makes It Look Easy' on top, followed by the start of the article.

_The Penny who changed Hollywood has been the topic of men and women alike as she took the industry by storm with her beauty, her charm and her big heart. It's impossible to not know who she is—she's Penny, the star of the critically acclaimed, Emmy nominated show Halfway There that instantly became everyone's favorite hobby. In the show, she stars as Jane Brunt, a woman who is given a second chance at life that has to correct her wrongs as well as help other lost souls such as herself move on to the afterlife. Many agree that the blonde gives the character a real feeling to it; she makes us, the viewers, relate to her struggles of correcting her mistakes and try to understand why things happen for a reason. __**"Jane is just like everyone else,"**__ Penny says about her character, __**"she makes mistakes, regrets them, and wants to fix them. But unlike most of us, she gets a second chance, and that's what's so cool about the story is that she gets what everyone wants but never gets!"**_

_But outside of the television, Penny is something even bigger than the critically praised character—she's a mom to twins! __**"At the end of the day, I'm not a girl who died and lived again, or an actress doing her job, I'm a mom who comes home to the best kids a mom could ever have,"**__ gushes Penny of her twins, __**"their names are Andrew and Madison, but I call them Andy and Maddie because they still aren't able to pronounce their names. They're amazing kids, even if they are just toddlers, and I must say that everything I do is for them."**__ Penny, __**26**__, rose to fame barely a year ago when her show premiered to a whopping 15 million viewers, and they get bigger with each episode. She already had her adorable twins by then, and we asked her what her kids thought of their mom, the most talked about actress around. __**"They don't really get the idea of celebrities, but they're really happy when they see me on tv. They even yell, 'look it's mommy' in baby talk, and I just get moved by the emotion because of it."**_

Sheldon turned to the next part of the article, and felt his heart clench at the next picture of the twins and Penny.

Penny was wearing a floral sundress, sitting on the lowest step on a set of outdoor stairs, laughing as she blew a giant bubble, that the camera captured excellently. The sunlight gave the bubble an attractive array of colors, that he found very nice to look at. On the highest step was Maddie in a colorful polka dot dress, with her own bubble wand; her face captured in a blowing expression as she blew bubbles along with her mother. And on a lower step was Andy in a sailor outfit, laughing as he held up a toy plane, angling it towards the bubbles that were up in the air, as of he was going to pop the bubbles that surrounded them. The three of them looked so... happy, and something unexplainable stung in his heart as he continued to stare at the picture. It was an odd feeling that he was akin to when Maddie slept beside him as he worked on his laptop. It was warm, and fuzzy, and made him long for _something_ he didn't know. Shaking the feeling off, he continued reading the article about his former neighbor.

_With just a season of her show, Penny became a superstar, and we asked her on how she juggled her sizzling hot career, and motherhood. __**"Oh, it's really hard, I have to admit. They're still babies, and I really believe that that is really important to be there for them all the time,"**__ she starts, __**"they're only just grasping everything, and I want to be the one who teaches them what they need to know. Wanting to be a full time mom and being an actress is stressful, but I just learned how to manage it. I normally bring them on set, and we even made a makeshift daycare for them! There's toys, and beds for their naps, and the crew is just really wonderful and considerate like that. I'm a single mom, but I'm lucky that I'm not alone in raising them. There's the crew, Mr. Fleming, the cast—everyone chips in, and I am just so blessed to have them. We're one big family, my twins and everyone involved in the show."**__ Regardless of her high profile celebrity status, Penny manages to keep her private life a secret. There have been many talks and rumors about the twin's father, and Penny was more than happy to answer questions about him._

_Q: Penny, a lot of people are curious on who your twins' father is, and you have been quoted to saying that he isn't anyone from the industry. Will we ever hear about him?_

**Penny: The twins' dad is a very private person, and isn't used to the spotlight. I know a lot of people want to take a good look at him and squeeze out some gossip from him, which is why I never mention him. We should all respect his privacy, and he doesn't deserve to be stalked by paparazzi just to ask about what he thinks of me.**

_Q: There are rumors saying that you are dating your co-star from Hindsight, and some say that you're secretly dating James Franco. Are they true?_

**Oh, I hear those a lot! [Laughs] I'm not dating James Franco, the date everyone is referring to was actually a meeting between us and the director of the movie we shot. I'm not dating him, but James is a really nice guy and is super funny. And to make things clear, I'm really not dating anyone right now. I'm more focused on shooting my film, season 2 of **_**Halfway There**_** and being a mom to my twins. I'm too busy to be dating.**

_Q: Then what about the twins' father?_

**He's a really good friend of mine, and he's very active in the twins' life. He takes care of them when I'm off shooting a movie or for our show, and we see each other whenever I'm free. He's a great dad, and we are lucky to have him.**

_Q: If you were to date, what are you looking for in a guy?_

**Well, they'd have to go through my twins, first! Maddie is very snooty to strangers, and is very picky. She even does this thing where she scrutinizes someone with this look and it makes me and Andy laugh all the time! I'd want a guy who'd accept my twins, and I know that some people think of women with kids as a turn off. I've even seen some of the comments about how me having kids makes me less desirable—and that's okay with me. My kids are my world, and no one can compare to them. But if I were to date, I want someone who's taller than me because I love heels! [Laughs] And I want him to be intellectual—he doesn't have to super intelligent, but I love a good conversation. Me before the twins hated deep conversations, but when their smart selves came into my life, I decided that I gotta keep up.**

_Q: You're twins are considered as Hollywood's new favorite kids—there's a video in the internet of them perfectly reenacting the scene in the season where St. Peter sends you to a trial, and they're barely two years old!_

**Yeah, I've seen that! It was Bailey [Mckenzie] who took the video. We were about to shoot the next scene when we saw the twins doing the scene word by word and we just had to get it on camera! They pronounced a lot of words wrong, but the fact that they memorized the scene by just watching us rehearse makes me really proud. They're really, really smart, and I have to admit that it doesn't come from me. But I'm really proud of them! One time, during rehearsals, I forgot a line and it was Maddie who reminded me that I had to say 'ack' after arguing with Bailey's character. Then, on a different day, Andy came up to me and said, "mommy need to wook sad!" He placed his tiny hands on my lips and turned it to a frown, and we all started laughing because a one year old was teaching me how to act! It's funny and sad at the same time.**

_Q: I was just talking to them as they did your makeup, and I have to say that they're such nice and friendly kids! And they were born for the camera! Do you have any plans on entering them into the business?_

**Nope, not at all! The celebrity life is very tedious, and complicated. Not only do you have to focus on your career, but there's the constant tab on you and your everyday activities and relationships that really makes it look unappealing. But being an actress does have it's perks, but the cons are the ones that I don't want them to experience. But, if it's what they want, then I will be nothing less than a supportive mother. Andy and Maddie reenacts scenes from our show, all the time, and Andy loves getting his picture taken. I won't be surprised if he enters the business one day, but I'm not so sure about Maddie, she likes to think.**

_Q: After this photoshoot, will you be open to appear on more covers with them?_

**I'm not really sure, cause I don't want to expose the twins to the public, too much. They already get seen enough when we go out, and I'd like to keep them a bit private. They're still babies, so they don't really understand my job, yet, and they practically ignore paparazzi. But, I guess I'll be okay with them on another cover. Andy's been giggling the entire time after he saw the final version of the cover, so I'm guessing that he really enjoys it. [Laughs]**

_We were halfway through the interview when the twins decided to join in on the conversation._

_Q: As a successful actress and single mom, what can advice can you give other aspiring actresses and single moms out there?_

**P: Well, I'm really thankful for all the wonderful things that have been happening to me and I have to say—**

**Andy: [In baby talk] Mommy the best! Mommy look at camera and look very pretty!**

**Maddie: [In baby talk] Mommy take pictures!**

_Q: They're loving the camera! Hi! What do you want to say to your mom?_

**M: Mommy! Maddie love you!**

**A: Mommy, Andy love you, too! Take pictures, again, peas!**

**P: [Laughs] Thank you! I love you two, too! I'm sorry I'm laughing, but I just laugh whenever they try to say please and it comes out as peas. I'm sure you've quoted it as peas, but keep it like that! My twins are such loving children and I'm very lucky to have them.**

_Q: Your twins are literally carbon copies of you! It's like you were cloned, and made smaller—you don't look like a mom, you look like their older sister!_

**M: Mommy very pretty.**

**A: Mommy the prettiest!**

**P: Thanks, twins! I know, they really look like me! But I think it's cause of the blonde hair—their hair was the exact shade of my hair when I was a kid before it transitioned to a dirty blonde color. In my opinion, Andy looks exactly like me, cause when my mom showed me my baby picture, I thought that it was Andy! Maddie looks like me, but she looks exactly like her daddy. The only thing she got from me is her hair, and her smile—her eyes are just like her daddy's. But you won't see it until you see their dad. If you only know me, you'd say that Maddie really looks like me, but when you see their dad, it's just the hair and the smile. [Laughs]**

Maddie looks exactly like their father... ?

Who was their father? Was it Leonard? But... Maddie looked nothing like his roommate—but he was sure that it was Leonard! Then that means that they're someone else's children. Were they Kurt? No, looking at the image of Kurt in his mind, he also didn't look anything like Maddie. Was it Zack? Or any other secret boyfriends Penny had while she was dating Leonard? How utterly confusing, this matter was.

Sheldon frowned as he turned to the next page of the article, he'd have to ponder this conundrum later. But when he saw the next image, his frown dropped form his face and was replaced by a look of awe.

The next picture was of Penny crouching down to level with the twins, and on both sides of her was Andy and Maddie, planting a kiss on her cheeks. There was something about the picture that made him want to cry—and he just couldn't understand the feeling. Even though the twins were on facing Penny, he could see the smiles on tugging on the lips as they kissed their mother, who had a genuine smile on her face. He felt the familiar clench of his heart as he reached our, brushing his fingers against the surface of the page that was separating his skin from the happy trio on the page. He didn't know why, but he suddenly wanted to be in the picture as well—which was preposterous, as why would he want to join them? In four weeks, the twins would return to their mother, and he would never see them again. Somehow, that thought made him kind of sad, but that was quickly replaced by the odd feeling he was having because of the picture.

He found himself completely concentrated on the image that he felt like ripping the picture out and framing it on his desk. It was akin to a perfect picture, and it was giving him goosebumps. He felt like an idiot admiring a picture, but he couldn't do anything to stop himself. His hand was still pressed against the image, and he subtly wondered why he was so attached to it. Maybe, because it didn't look like a simple photo shoot, but a happy moment that a camera just so happened to capture. Even with Penny's eyes slightly closed, he could see the way her eyes lit up with happiness. Her green eyes were bright and with the makeup, made them standout. He always found her eyes to be such a nice shade of green, and when she still lived across them, he had seen it change to a light green when she was happy and to a darker shade when she was mad. Andy had inherited they eyes, and he was sure that when it turned green, it would have the same mischief that his mother had. Like what the article said, Maddie didn't get Penny's eyes, but he found her blue eyes nice as well. It also had something... familiar about them that he often wondered where he had seen them before. Shaking off the conundrum, again, and read the last part of the article.

_With her #1 show, her long list of upcoming movies, her Emmy nomination, it isn't surprising to know that Penny is one of the most talked about celebrities today. Everywhere you go, all you'll hear is talk about the Penny that's changing up the scene. Not only did her outstanding acting chops makes us beg for more, but it was also her optimism and the fresh breath of air that she brings along everywhere. Not only is she representing women all over the world for her strength as a single mother, but each and every one of us who has gone through downs, but continued until she finally found her big break._

_Q: You once said in an interview that you worked as a low paying waitress, how was it? How was your struggle into stardom?_

**Penny: Oh, yeah! I was a horrible waitress, and I'm shocked that the Factory [Cheesecake Factory] didn't fire me. They even got me as their new spokesperson! [Laughs] Before I became an actress, I worked there for three years while trying to get a big break. I went to a lot of auditions, and got turned down for the silliest things like; you're too blonde, you're not blonde enough, you look too midwest—and I cried each time. I seriously thought that my career was going nowhere, and even went back to Nebraska where I worked with my dad on his farm. It was nearly a year later when I got the role, and the twins were already my support back then.**

_Q: How did you get the role as Jane, and did you expect your show to be this famous?_

**Before I moved back to Nebraska, I got shortlisted for the role but they gave it to someone else. Then they called me again, saying that the director wanted me for the role and that I was perfect for it. Me, my sister and the twins immediately moved back to California, and I started filming. To be honest, I thought that the show would be panned by the critics and the viewers, because it's not those types of shows that everyone loves. But, after the premiere we got a overwhelming flood of praise and I literally spent a week crying! Gregg [Wilkes] was the one who told me about all the positive feedback and everything continued on from there.**

_Q: What's your favorite part of your show? Mine is the past, present and future scenes._

**That's mine, too! I love how they show the future of the person Jane's supposed to help first, then they show how Jane and the gang meets the person, then it shows the past on why that person turned out that way, then once Jane helps them, it shows the future that the person gets. It's really cool cause first, you'll go oh s/he's a bad person, then Jane meets them in the present, then when you see their past you'll understand why that person lost that way. And it's so amazing because it really shows that everything happens for a reason. Plus, shooting the scenes is jut cool.**

_Q: That's amazing! In addition to your already Emmy nominated role, you just wrapped up your new movie with James Franco that is said to be a potential Oscar winning role for you. Could you tell us about it?_

**Of course! It's about a female scientist who thinks she finds a cure to a new disease that's killing thousands of people, when actually, she only made the disease worse. The story follows her as she deals with guilt she gets as the people she cares for dies, because of her mistake. It's a very heart-wrenching story, and even I felt bad for my character when she had had enough. James [Franco] even shed a few tears at the end of the movie—but I'm not spilling any secrets! [Laughs]**

_Q: You're also working on Hindsight with George Clooney and Scarlett Johansen as the devious, cunning double agent who betrays everyone. How's it like working on an action film, and working with those big names?_

**Action films are hard! I have to train every day for the fighting scenes cause we're all doing our own stunts. We've just finished the California scenes, and are now heading to France to shoot the even cooler scenes! And wow! George Clooney is so handsome in person, and Scarlett is just so awesome. I've loved her ever since I saw her in Lost in Translation, and George has been my crush since forever! They're so nice to me, and I'm there all star-struck before getting into character and betraying both of them. I'm so lucky to work with them, and to be shooting in Paris! It's a real blast.**

_Q: You're also rumored to play as Black Canary in the Green Arrow film. Can you give us a hint about that?_

**[Laughs] I'm really not sure if I'm playing her, but I am honored to even be linked to the project. Who knows, they might get me—and that would be awesome! But right now, I don't think I'm gonna be a superhero. But hopefully I will be in the near future!**

_Q: Thank you for your time, Penny, and twins. The three of you look so fabulous, and we hope that you join us again._

**The twins went on a nap, but they'd be ecstatic to pose for the camera again! And it would be my pleasure to work with you again. You guys are awesome!**

_It's very common to find a lucky penny, but this Penny is rarer than a unicorn with a diamond horn. There are a lot of great actresses here, but Penny is definitely one of the most unique, talented and down to earth actresses out there. We don't have to tell you that, for everyone to see it. Ask for change, and get a Penny, that's what our current motto is._

"Sheldon, what are you reading?"

With a blink, he threw the magazine down on his desk and slammed his folder over and effectively concealing it before looking up at the three men staring at him. He quickly composed himself, raising an eyebrow at his friends. "Hello, you're back early."

Raj adjusted Maddie on his arm and tried to look at what the physicist was hiding. If he wasn't mistaken, it was the new magazine that Penny was featured in. "We had a bit of an accident in the engineering lab and we thought, maybe we could have lunch already?" The other two men silently nodded, and Sheldon stood up form his desk. "Of course. It _is_ time for lunch, isn't it?"

"And we've definitely got to get the twins into a daycare, or else our budget will be drastically cut." Howard muttered as they walked down the corridor to the cafeteria. None of them disagreed.

* * *

Sunshine Fun Center was somehow... satisfactory. It wasn't a big building, but if Sheldon said it was okay—it was okay. Sheldon didn't approve of the daycares that were held in houses, and that immediately crossed out majority of the daycares nearby. SFC—as they called it—was a pre-school as well as a daycare center, that had excellent reviews on Yelp, and was efficiently located near the university. They even saw some professors who worked at Caltech picking up their children from the daycare.

"At least it's not the Happyness daycare center, you know, like in the Pursuit of Happyness?" Raj joked as the entered the playfully decorated center. The entire lobby was filled with bright colors, life sized cartoon characters and toys (and safety mats) everywhere. The ceiling was even turned to a painted clear blue sky with toy airplanes dangling from various spots. It was a kid's dream- mini playgrounds, one of those floor keyboards that play when you step on it, tube slides that lead to wide ball pits, and TVs that showed all of the children's shows you could think of. Not to mention the fact that there was an ice cream stand at the corner of the room, which made each of them want to be a kid again, except Sheldon—there weren't any comic book heroes or Star Wars characters, therefore everything was idiotic. Especially the annoying cutout of Spongebob who was staring him down.

"It's kind of sad how none of us care about Raj's joke," Leonard commented as Andy released his hand to run up to the mini playground.

Maddie wiggled in Sheldon's hold, extending her hand out to the direction where Andy ran off to. "Maddie want pay, too!"

"You may only play once we enroll you here," he gestured for towards the counter, where an eerily smiling woman was standing at. "Hello, we would like to inquire about your establishments daycare services. The toddler daycare, not the pre-school services."

The woman was still grinning and the four men wondered if it was the actual shape of her mouth. "Hello, to you, too! I'm Brenda, the head personnel here. How old is your child?"

"They're twins at twenty-two months," Leonard answered, lifting Andy up from in front of the playground, and sitting him on the counter. "This is Andy, and that's his twin sister Maddie." The blonde toddlers waved at the redheaded smiling woman, whose smile was still unfaltering. "Oh! Such beautiful babies! Are they yours?" The grinning woman's hazel eyes turned to Sheldon who scowled at her.

Why in the world was the woman staring at him?!

"They're, uh, my sister's," Leonard cut in with a nervous chuckle, looking at Howard and Raj who nodded in approval. "She's out of town and asked me to babysit for her, but with work, I can't fully take care of them. So, I thought of getting them into daycare—I read online that children under two years old are put in the Sunshine program, are they qualified for it?" Brenda—smile still etched on her face—reached into behind the counter then brought out an application form. "Just fill that up, then we'll tour you around the facilities."

Sheldon was about to grab the information sheet when Leonard snatched it from him. "I'll fill this up. Why don't you guys go on and take the tour?" There was definitely something odd with Leonard, and he was going to get to the bottom of it. He shifted Maddie to his other arm as Leonard hid the sheet with his arm. This was beyond suspicious! This was extremely infuriating, and he was going to find out the truth. "Fine, shall either of you be the one to scrutinize the facilities, anything cool will be considered as okay." He looked down on Maddie, who had her head on his shoulder as she watched kids play on the mini playground. "Do you want to see the venue where you shall be spending five days a week at?"

"Pay?" Was the only thing Maddie said, causing Sheldon to sigh as Raj lifted Andy from the counter. "Dudes, I just heard a mom saying that she didn't like the Supremes! How could you _not_ like the Supremes? It's practically unthinkable!"

Howard peered at the information sheet before moving to where Sheldon and Raj stood, "cause that's important. Come on, let's check out the Sunshine room before Raj charges up to the woman and debates on how she has bad taste in music." He pulled on both Raj and Sheldon's sleeves, dragging them away from the counter. "I'll meet up with you guys, later," Leonard called, barely looking up from the secretive information sheet.

"Andy wike da pace," the toddler happily said as they walked over to where the _still_ smiling Brenda stood. She looked like a female version of the Joker, except with less makeup. How the twins weren't getting scared, they seriously didn't know. "Hello, again! Are you ready to view the Sunshine room? It's a toddler's dream and anyone who goes in will come out happier than sunshine!"

"Is that why it's called the Sunshine room?" Howard asked as they walked down a long hallway that had several floor to ceiling to windows that showed children of various ages playing with toys. "Yes, each room has a title that symbolizes what we want the kids to experience while they're here. There's the Rainbow room, the Sunny Day room, the Fantasy room," she pointed to various doors, then stopped in front of an arc shaped door that had a mural of a sun smiling down on a couple of kids. "Here we are! The Sunshine room!" She opened the doors, and Sheldon almost had a headache with the brightness of the colors of everything in the room.

"Dis amuh-sen!" Maddie exclaimed, eyes widening at the bright room. "Maddie wike da pace!"

"Your daughter seems to like it here," creepy smiling Brenda remarked, her smile slightly widening. "We'll take good care of your children!" She, again, turned to Sheldon who furrowed his eyebrows, "they're not my—"

"Hey, I finally finished this," Leonard walked into the room, handing the information sheet to Brenda. "I filled everything up, and I placed our information down there."

Sheldon narrowed his eyes at his roommate who angled the sheet so that he couldn't see it. Drat. He knew that his roommate was doing this on purpose—if he wasn't, why was he hiding the sheet from him? He saw what was on the slightly extensive information sheet; it asked about the name of the parents and the children. That was what Leonard was hiding from him! And if he wasn't carrying Maddie, he would have snatched the sheet and read it himself. But not, he would not purposefully drop the innocent toddler just to find out the truth. If he could just see what Leonard placed in child's name, he would see what the twins' last name, therefore, he would be able to get a clue on who their father is! Unless, of course, they had Penny's last name, but according to that magazine, the twins knew their father. Maybe, he could ask them who it was! But they wouldn't possibly know their father's name, and would probably just say daddy, or dad, or papa or something. He wouldn't get answers from simply asking toddlers, but he wasn't going to ask Penny. That would be like throwing down the towel, and he was going to find out on his own. Whether it really was Leonard, or not, he was going to know who it was.

He _will_ find out the truth.

* * *

**I hope none of you got a headache from reading Kripke and the twins' conversation**—**cause I personally loved that scene. Also, I apologize if the three guys' conversation was vague, but everything will be cleared up, soon. Smiling Brenda is seriously my newest favorite OC. God, I love her.**

**Also, due to a reviewer concern, I'd like to apologize to anyone who will be offended with Penny publicizing the twins. It was just a plot device, and I humbly apologize.**


	7. Interesting Topics

**In contrast to the previous chapter that had Sheldon getting an inch closer to the truth, this chapter has a bunch of hints ****everywhere**** and another question is answered! This is the fifth week of the twins' stay; if you're wondering why we need to keep count, it's because Penny comes back by the second month!**

**Sorry if there are any mistakes**—**we all know that I don't have a Beta or do proofreading. Mainly because I'm lazy. Ha.**

**Smiling Brenda = happiness.**

* * *

In the past week or so that they had been dropping and picking up the twins at Sunshine Fun Center, Sheldon came to the conclusion that Brenda (the head personnel) had a permanent smile etched on her face. And it wasn't even optimism anymore—even when she looked shocked, she was still smiling. The other day, a kid accidentally tripped, and when they turned to look at Brenda, she was still smiling creepily. She looked somewhat deranged—somewhat psychotic—and they often wondered if they made the right choice in daycare. She never stopped smiling and it was giving them the creeps. They had even given her an appropriate nickname; smiling Brenda. Still not in the good way.

"The twins were fabulous, today," greeted smiling Brenda as they entered the Sunshine room to pick up the twins. "They're such smart kids! It didn't even take them a third try to remember Old McDonald, and it really impressed our teachers."

Maddie ran up to Sheldon, automatically lifting her hands up before he picked her up. He would never really understand her love of being carried. "Maddie and Andy say quack!"

Andy nodded as he took Leonard's hand, "and a quack, quack hee and a quack, quack dah!"

They still couldn't pronounce their Rs, but the fact that they already knew the words here and there were a good sign that the daycare was effective. If there was any sign at all that this was a bad center, Sheldon wouldn't need a second thought in pulling the twins out and transferring them to a better one. He saw another daycare center that had equally as great comments, and he was tempted to inquire about their services. However, Sunshine Fun Center was clearly living up to the Yelp comments, and he'd let them go for now. "Are ducks the only animals in the song?" Sheldon asked, raising an eyebrow at smiling Brenda. "I believe that there is more than one animal in that farm."

"They aren't, but your twins seem to have taken a strong liking to the ducks part." Brenda turned around, looking for something before picking up two pieces of paper and handed it to Leonard. "Those are Andy's and Maddie's drawings. They're full of ducks."

"Dat quack!" Maddie pointed out when Brenda lifted the drawings. The first one was of several yellow circles with an orange squiggly line, which was most likely the beak. The second drawing was a bit more specific, there was small yellow circle that had an orange triangle in the middle, and was on top of a bigger yellow circle. The orange crayon wasn't missing this time. "They're very keen on details, and it's impressive as they are barely two years old! We have some kids here that are twice the twins' age, yet still manage to miss key details such as beaks, and fingers. You must be very proud."

Leonard nodded happily as smiling Brenda's smile somewhat widened. She was really scaring him. "Yeah, my sister is really proud of them. They're really smart kids." Brenda thought for a moment, before loudly clapping her hands together, startling both Sheldon and Leonard. "Which reminds me! Will it be okay if we get Andy and Maddie to participate in a small play we will be having next month? They're wonderful actors, and are amazing in memorization!"

"Andy want, peas!" The toddler exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement. "Andy act wike Mommy!"

"Then I guess it's okay for them to join," Sheldon said when he saw Maddie nod in agreement. "Will it be held here? And what will they be playing as?"

"It's nothing too complicated, just a play that our teachers created. Old McDonald and his animals, and we'd like the twins to play two animals. We'll provide costumes, so you don't have to worry about it." Brenda pointed to the whiteboard that had a sketch of the various animals that would be featured in the play. "It will be very fun, and I hope that all of the parents will be able to make it."

The experimental physicist grinned, wanting to end the conversation as quickly as possible. Brenda had been smiling during the entire conversation, and regardless of how many times they went here, they would never get used to her killer smile. Literally. "We will—we wouldn't miss something as important as that. Anyway," Brenda was still smiling, "we have to go now. We'll see you again tomorrow, Brenda." The redhead blinked—she really didn't have any other expression other than smiling—and gave them a smile that bared her teeth. Which was equally as creepy that the normal smiling expression looked sane. "Alright! We'll see you again tomorrow, Dr. Hofstadter, Andy, Maddie, and Dr. Cooper."

"Bye Bwenda!" The twins waved at the redhead who was waving back at them as they exited the playroom.

Once they had reached the lobby, Sheldon and Leonard finally felt themselves breathe. "Leonard, is it wrong for me to fear that I will have constant nightmares because of that woman?"

"No, cause I'm sure that I'm going to have some of my own, too." Leonard sighed, picking Andy up and walking towards where Raj and Howard sat. "Hey, we're done. Why does Raj look... upset?" Raj looked up, a deep frown etched on his face as Howard simply shook his head. "He overheard two moms talking about Barbra Streisand, and he got pretty pissed." Raj turned to Howard, scoffing before bolting up from the ship shaped bench. "I'm not pissed—I'm offended! First there was that mom disliking the Supremes, now _this!_ You simply cannot say that Barbra was not a good enough actress in A Star Is Born, and just get away with it! It's the most successful version out there, and Evergreen is still the classic theme song stuck in everyone's head. I wanted to march there and give her a piece of my Streisand worshipper mind, but Howard told me to stop."

"We'd get banned from this place if he continued with his stupid problem," hissed Howard, standing up and gesturing to the exit, "besides, all this bad energy will ruin our image later at Professor Frampton's bachelor party. Now, that he's marrying one of the members of the board, he'll get a bigger access at our research funds, and this is definitely our time to schmooze up to him!"

Sheldon stopped as they reached Leonard's car, "wait, you're planning on going to Professor Frampton's bachelor party? I thought that we were going to spend tonight playing Rock Band 3?" He placed Maddie in her car seat, then lifted Andy up to him in his own. "I thought that we discussed this matter earlier?"

Raj unlocked his car, allowing Howard to get in the passenger side. "Well, yeah, you didn't want to go, we wanted to go, and it's the third Thursday of the month which means," Howard and Leonard both rolled down their windows to say what the day was, "Anything Can Happen Thursday. So, me and Howard are gonna go home and dress up, and Leonard, we'll meet you at the bar?"

"Yeah, I just have to drop off Sheldon and the twins at the apartment, then I'll head there," Leonard reached across, pushing the passenger side door open, "now, Sheldon get in. I still have to get ready." Sheldon glared at Raj and Howard before getting into his roommate's car. "Why was I not informed about this? Didn't we have an agreement that any change in plans will be first consulted? I was not consulted, this is an obvious breach of the agreement, and I say that you all chip in and buy me my own Batmobile. That is the price of this offense."

"Bat-moh-bah?" Andy whispered to his twin.

"Dunno," Maddie shrugged, unsure of what a Batmobile was.

"Okay, first of all, there was no such agreement, and you only just made that up now," Leonard hissed, stopping at the red light. "And second, you can't drive—why would you want a Batmobile?"

"Because, who doesn't, Leonard?" Sheldon shook his head at his roommate's incredulity, "but that's not the point. I still can't believe that you didn't tell me of the change of plans. Who I'm supposed to play with now? Andy and Maddie?"

"Then try and do solo player and try to get five gold stars, or something. I'm sure you could play something else."

"If it were that easy, then I wouldn't be thinking about it, now would I?" Sheldon snapped, sending his friend a glare before turning towards the window. The day simply could not get any worse.

* * *

The problem with being home alone, was that he wanted to play a multiplayer game, and had no one to play with. The perks of being alone, however, was that he got to have some peace and quiet, and got to order the pizza he wanted. But he and the twins could simply not finish a box all on their own, and so he invited Amy to come over. Sadly, the neurobiologist was going to be late and the twins felt like taking a nap, leaving him all alone.

Which was okay, he guessed, as he enjoyed the alone time. He was just a bit used to the noise of the others fighting over an idiotic game, and the twins babbling about something he could barely understand in the background. That was how they lived in the past month, and he had to say that he had gotten accustomed to it. The silence was somehow deafening, and even he couldn't focus on thinking about all of the new problems he could solve. It was like the room was missing something, and it oddly made him sad. Even with the tv on, he still felt lonely, which was shocking, as he never felt lonely. Not when he was all alone in Germany or when he moved to Bozeman for a good five minutes, yet somehow he felt it as he glanced around the empty apartment. He even pushed a disturbing thought back to the farthest corner of her mind—one of creepy Brenda stalking him and ruthlessly killing him with a carving knife while she held on to that psychotic grin of hers.

He flinched at the thought, and decided to think something else.

He stared at his laptop background and checked the time. He still had a while before the pizza and Amy arrived, and the twins would probably only wake up when Amy arrives. Speaking of the twins, he was getting curiouser and curiouser to find out who their father was. He had spent the entire week asking Leonard, Howard and Raj, but they all said that it was someone he knew. None of them said who it was, and all of them said emphasized that it was _not_ Leonard. He could see it in two ways; one, they were telling the truth, and two, they were lying. He was bad at recognizing his friends' lying faces, and so he was unsure if they were lying. All three of them were excellent liars, and although Leonard had his easy-to-catch times, he was still a great liar, nonetheless. He even tried getting the information record at the daycare, but whenever the attendant asked him why he needed it, he never came up with a good reason. Plus, his face twitched when he lied—he could easily get caught.

He had even re-read the entire article about Penny just to search for clues, as well as googled her to see if there were any hints on who the twins' father was. Alas, his former neighbor was very tight lipped about his identity, and he got the same answers that the magazine interviewer got—that he was a very private mam and that he didn't want to be in the spotlight. It was odd how he was so interested in knowing the twins' identity. Maybe, it was because everyone of his friends knew but him, and no one wanted to tell him. Or because he still felt unsafe knowing that he was allowing Penny and some unknown man's progeny in his if the man was a cold blooded killer, and had thought that they had kidnapped the twins and killed him? If he were to die that way, then he would have died without getting a Nobel. He was not taking that risk, which was why he was dead set on finding out who this mystery man was. He could be anyone from a mass murderer to the richest man in the world, and it would be next to impossible to track him down if he didn't have any basis to start the search at.

Although, he was a hundred percent sure that their father was _not_ Howard. Because, if he was, then it would be the end of the world, and it was like saying that his mother was not slightly bigoted or racist. In other words, it was impossible, and if he were to be proved wrong, he would jump out the window, and shall he survive, he would make sure to throw away his life by becoming a hobo.

If Howard really was their father, then that would mean two things. One, it would end Penny and Bernadette's friendship, and would cause complete utter chaos. And two, that he would lose the very little respect that he had restored for Penny, because it was Howard. Even though they were engaged, he often asked Bernadette of she was sure that she wanted to marry Howard. He liked Bernadette, even if her job was stupid. She was nice to him, could cook, and could control Howard, and that was good enough for him. Sadly, the engineer was not good enough for her, in his and Mr. Rostenkowski's opinion, which was why he would feel bad for her if Howard really was the twins' father. He would also start on creating the machine that could edit humans, and remove any of Howard's traits from the twins, shall he really be their father. God, he hoped not. The twins were already okay, in his book, and he'd hate that positive outlook to be tarnished by Howard's genes. They were even turning out to be satisfactory human beings.

When he gave them the magazine that featured them and their mother, they didn't rip it, slobber on it, or chew it, as he thought they would do. Instead, they quickly looked for their next pictures, and asked them if it would be okay to frame it. He was impressed that they knew what framing meant, and as a reward, he bought them a second magazine where they would get the pictures from. They cut out the photos with the three blondes on it, and they were now framed and sitting on the end table that resided beside Leonard's bed. The rest of the magazine was recycled, and he didn't care where it went. Originally, he had intended to keep the final image of the photo shoot for himself—but why would he? He had not relation to any of the blondes, and that would make him look insane. Rather than doing that, he went online to the website of the magazine, searched for the unedited image and simply saved it in one of the password protected folder. He wasn't going to tell anyone this, but whenever he looked at the picture, he felt relaxed and hurt at the same time. It was somewhat relaxing, yet gave his heart clench. He didn't understand why, but he chose not to question it, and considered it as a visual stress ball.

Even after a week, he still couldn't understand the pain he felt whenever he looked at the pictures. He'd just look at any of the pictures, and he'd automatically feel his heart clench slightly. It didn't make sense to him; it was relaxing yet painful at the same time, like some sort of masochism experience. Bittersweet was the appropriate word for it, and he wondered if he was going insane. Though, he wasn't crazy, his mother had him checked! But, looking at his problem from a different angle only confused him more. He didn't see any obvious reason as to why he would feel that way towards a picture, much less one of Penny and her children. Something about those pictures kept drawing him in, causing him to only get more and more befuddled. He was at a loss at why he was feeling that way, and he wanted answers. It wasn't like him to stare at a picture, unless it was a signed one or a Where's Waldo puzzle. His train of thought was abruptly broken by his laptop making a dinging sound.

_Penny Blossom has accepted your request._ Barely a second later, the aforementioned user was Skype calling him, and he hesitated slightly before accepting the call.

A window opened, and he was met by Penny who looked quite startled. "You answered the call."

"I am not sure if that's a question, but yes." The blonde rolled her eyes, and he frowned. Why wouldn't he answer the cal, when it was her who never accepted his request? "Is there a reason why you called? It's about three in the morning, and you're not a morning person. You're not supposed to call until four, there."

"Okay, stop bombarding me with questions," Penny started, she didn't look sleepy or grouchy, but actually looked really energetic. What happened to her eleven o' clock rule? "I called in because Leonard told me that he wasn't home, and that it was just you and the twins. I wanted to say hi." She sent him a small smile, and like Brenda's creepy nightmare-ish grin, his frown did not falter. "I'm sorry to say that the twins are currently napping. They seem to have tired themselves out while they were at the daycare. I suggest you call again in an hour or so, if you can. Goodbye—"

"Wait," Penny called as he was about to click the end button, "why are you in such a rush?"

Sheldon furrowed his eyebrows at the screen. As this woman insane? They had absolutely nothing to talk about other than what the twins were doing, did, will do. That was the only topic of discussion that they could ever converse about! They no longer had anything in common other than their friends, but he had zero interest in what she and the others talked about. Even when she still lived across from them, they had nothing to talk about, and he didn't like banal chit chat. She of all people should know that. "Penny, we have nothing to talk about, and aren't you supposed to be shooting your film?"

"Actually, we stayed up all night shooting the night scenes, and I drank too much coffee," the blonde nervously chuckled, and he simply shook his head. Penny always had a knack for relying on caffeine when she needed energy. After the nearly three years of mooching off from them, she still has yet to learn that fruits are much better energizers than coffee. "So, I'm pretty much going to be awake for awhile."

"Then I suggest you try to get some sleep or else you will ruin your sleeping cycle—"

"Sheldon, what the hell is your problem? Why are you trying to get rid of me?" Sheldon's frown only deepened, and he thought of ending the call right then and there. He could do that, and he didn't know why he wasn't doing it. Maybe, it was the last ounce of respect he had for her. "Penny, you and I both know that we have nothing to discuss, and that we are not friends. Why would you continue to press on when we both know that your efforts will be futile?"

"Is this still because of the birthday gift incident?" Yes, but there were more reasons to that. Penny didn't know what he had to endure due to her absence. It was Leonard crying day and night over her. Anything that could possibly had a memory with Penny—which was practically everything in their apartment—made Leonard cry, and he even briefly thought of kicking Leonard out. Even Howard and Raj got emotional whenever they came over and the three all held discussions on how much they missed the blonde. Bernadette was the only one who he allowed to get emotional, as she was a girl and was Penny's close friend; she didn't get a strike for crying when she saw 4B's door. All three of his friends had to go through his online class five times after all the strikes he gave them. The emotional outbursts were one thing, but the Leonard threats were another one. During the first month of Leonard's grief, he often didn't go to work, which left him a conundrum of how to go to work. Leonard wouldn't move from his bed, and so he had to use the bus. And one horrible time, the bus driver suddenly stopped, and he crashed into the seat in front of him. He got a bloody nose from it, and his new white Quicksilver shirt got ruined because of it.

"Professor Lancaster died last year," stated Sheldon, sounding unhappy, "when he was still alive, and saw us at the cafeteria, he would greet everyone but me. And when we did get a chance to finally speak, he gave the birthday gift incident much emphasis. I didn't apologize, of course—why would I?—and we never talked again. At his wake, his son referred to me as 'the only guy who his dad didn't get a birthday gift from.' And though, the rest of his children called him a spiteful man in their eulogies, I am still very offended by what that old man insufferable man put me through." The light flickered. "And may his soul rest in peace.

"I don't know how many times I have to say it, but I'm sorry," she said, sounding as though she was actually sorry for what she did. "But I _had_ to leave, Sheldon. I couldn't take anything anymore—my unsuccessful career as an actress, the relationship I screwed up with Leonard." Penny paused for a moment, mumbling something inaudible before continuing, "and if I didn't leave, I would be unhappy. I didn't want to work at the Cheesecake Factory forever, and I didn't want to keep on hurting Leonard. So, I ran away to Nebraska, and tried to find myself there."

"Did you find yourself? Are you happy now?"

Penny smiled softly, and he compared it to the one in the magazine. This was one was the same one as the final image, but there was something off about it. It wasn't a bad thing, but there was something different about it. "Yes, I have to say that I'm really happier than I ever was. My dreams are finally coming true, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Have you ever watched my show?" The physicist shook his head before reaching under the side table and pulling a magazine out. "No, I have not, but I did get this for the twins," he brought up the magazine, Penny's eyes widening in response. "They saw it at the comic book store and asked me to buy it. They wanted to frame the images of the three of you in Leonard's room, so I bought another one." He placed the magazine down on the coffee table, then turned it over. "They have the pictures framed beside their bed."

"I didn't know that that's already out," she murmured, slightly frowning, "did you read the article about me?" Yes, he did, but he didn't care much about it. Instead of reading it, he was somehow more focused on the image that—for some unknown reason—was giving him an odd feeling. He had even went so much as saved it on both his phone and his laptop, because of how enthralled he was with the picture. Due to his actions, he even wondered if he needed to go to Camarillo Mental Institute. "No, I did not, but I saw the pictures. The three of you looked nice."

"Thank you! It was a really fun photo shoot, and I loved working with the twins." Penny had a wider, happier, smile on her face, and Sheldon wondered if she had ever smiled that way when she still lived in 4B. Maybe, she really was happier. "Speaking of the twins, how are they? Are they misbehaving? Are they eating their vegetables? How are they doing at the daycare? Did they get recognized?"

"Penny," he cut in before Penny continued her rambling, "I gave you a complete status report yesterday, but because you are high on caffeine, I will answer all of your questions. They are fine, and are currently napping. No, they are not, and they have not done a tantrum since a few weeks ago. They eat a balanced meal three times a day, and we made sure that the daycare did, too. Surprisingly, the daycare was very strict on what toddlers were supposed to eat, and it actually impressed me. And for the last question," he raised any eyebrow, "only one mom recognized them. It was when we picked them up, and the mom saw them. She even had your new magazine in her hands, and immediately ran up to us asking different questions. We introduced ourselves as your personal team, and the woman said to tell you hi. So, hi."

The other day, as they were picking up the twins, a woman who had the magazine recognized them and ran up to them. At first, they wanted to deny it, but when the woman lifted the magazine next to the twins' face, they could no longer deny it. Like Stuart, the woman went on to take pictures with the twins before trying to pry information out of them. She kept on asking if Penny would ever go to the daycare, and when she would, and where she lived. Raj told them that the mom might have been one of Penny's rabid fans. After taking pictures, the women went on and on about how much she loved Penny's show, and how she already memorized the trailer for Penny's new movie. They all found her creepy, but with smiling Brenda grinning like lunatic at the information desk, she wasn't that bad. The woman them informed them on when she picked up her children, and gave them her number for when Penny comes to the daycare. Not gonna happen.

"She sounds nice," Penny commented, and Sheldon was sure that if Penny met the woman, she would be creeped out, too. Then again, the fanatic mom was much more sane than smiling Brenda. There was an air of silence between them before Penny spoke again. "Look, Sheldon, I'm really sorry for everything that happened after I left. I was a coward for running away from me problems, but I don't regret my actions. But I do regret breaking your trust. You may not know this, but I consider you as my best friend, and to think that you no longer see me as a friend..." Penny gave him a sad smile, and he prepared for any tears. "I know you really didn't forgive me when the twins asked if we were friends. That's why I'm making use of the twins' absence to apologize. I don't want them to just cry and make you say something you don't mean. I really want to be friends with you again, but I'll understand if you don't forgive me, right now—"

"Penny, let me just stop you right there," he interjected, having had enough of Penny's ramblings. If he allowed the blonde to continue, he would have to endure a long while of Penny regretting what she did to him and that would only make him feel guilty. Plus, she was getting it all wrong. "Do not get me wrong, we _are_ friends. I said that we were, and I do not go back on my words. Even if I said them in such circumstances, there is no need to take it back. So, please stop being all emotional, and do get on with the point."

"We're friends?"

"Yes, we are," he nodded, and resisted the urge to frown when Penny's face broke into a wide grin. "But please bear in mind that does not mean that the remaining strikes bestowed to you will be eradicated. They will be put into effect when you return, and I highly suggest that you take the online classes while you can."

"I'll take those classes when I have free time." The smile Penny had was so wide that he felt as if smiling Brenda had turned into Penny. "So, now that we're friends, are you going to stop being rude to me?" Rude? When was he ever rude to her? If you asked him, he was nothing but friendly! Being rude was if he ignored her right now, and he was doing the exact opposite. He was even so kind as to not push through with his plan to end them to France. "Penny, I do not do rude. I am everything but _rude_. Can't you not see my natural friendliness and playfulness?"

The blonde giggled and he wondered what was so funny was about what he said. "Yeah, you're the friendliest and funnest person I know, Sheldon. So, how are you? I didn't get a chance to talk to any of you these past two days cause we've been trying to meet a deadline. We just found out that we're going to shoot in Tokyo for a day or two, and we have to finish everything before flying out there."

"If you're going to Tokyo, would you mind if I ask you to buy me some things? If you consider it as a favor, I'll return you a favor by teaching your twins all of the words in the dictionary." He grabbed a piece of paper from the end table and looked at the items needed. "It's just a few video games that were not released internationally, a couple of manga books, and some action figures. I can deposit the needed amount in your account, just give it to me and I'll make Leonard do it."

"No, I'll buy them as a thank you for taking care of the twins. Leonard told me that you're really looking out for them, and I'm really happy that you're getting along with them. They always tell me about how great you are, you know."

Sheldon smirked; merely a month and the twins were already worshipping him. But it was inevitable, as he was such an interesting person. Even if he didn't see the fun side of him at first, they eventually saw it and now looked up to him as their role model. What a good choice, indeed. He knew that hew as leaving a great mark in the twins' life, and he was sure that one day, when they accomplish something mediocre, they'd thank him for changing their future. In a few more months, he would sure that he would be such a great influence that they could even grow up to be a surgeon. Maybe even a rocket scientist if they stayed for another week. It was impossible for them to love him, he was just so amazing. "Of course, they like me—I'm just so likable."

"You didn't answer my question, how are you? You never really gave me an actual answer than you're doing okay. You know about my daily activities, yet I know nothing about you." Penny frowned slightly, and he knew that she was mocking him. She was always mocking him, and he had already grown to used to it. At least she wasn't using sarcasm—he still couldn't understand it, and no matter how many books and articles he read about it, he still couldn't grasp it's concept. "Well, I'm still one of the best physicists in Caltech, and I just got another raise. I'm currently working on a collaboration with Raj on Dark Matter, am doing a lot of progress in my research on String Theory, and have recently published a paper regarding a method of synthesizing a new super heavy element. Other than that, there's nothing new in my life." Sheldon pursed his lips, in though, "oh, and there are two toddlers currently living with Leonard and I, but I'm sure that you know about that."

Penny's smile slightly faltered, unlike smiling Brenda's face that seemed to be stuck in that creepy grin. "What do you think about the twins? Are they okay? I heard from Amy that you're planning on having a baby together."

"Oh, that! No, that is no longer in effect, Leonard put a stop to that plan about a year ago." This time, it was Penny's turn to raise an eyebrow, "Leonard kept on saying how we can't just have a progeny just because we want on. And he suddenly got mad when he discovered that Amy and I had no plans of living together, shall we have a child together. He kept on saying how children were gifts and that they were meant to be loved, not shaped into future overlords that will guide humanity into a better tomorrow. So, after much badgering, I decided to cancel it. Therefore, the future Sheldons will have to wait to wait before they turn the world into their oyster. Your twins can be my future children's right hand trustees. As they have grown on me, I will make sure that they have a secure position in the future world that my future children will establish. I'll even make you head of entertainment, if that pleases you."

"Your future children will make the _twins_ their right hand trustees?" Penny's face changed from a happy grin, to a look of skepticism. Her face twisting into a small frown while raising her eyebrows.

He nodded, the twins were proving to be future useful members of the community. They would, without no doubt, be beneficial to his future intellectually superior benign overlord children who would guide humanity to be a better tomorrow. He could already picture it in his mind: his powerful children ruling the world while the twins delivered their orders. The twins would be their right hand, who everyone feared, but not as much as his children. Like the hand of the king, or something like that. In the month that passed, the twins were showing signs that they wouldn't grow up to love shoe shopping and that was okay in his book. He didn't expect much from two blondes, but he knew that they had potential—that if molded, would lead into great things. And if mitosis is still impossible for humans, who knows, maybe the twins could marry one of his children. He was really that generous. "Yes, I am _that_ generous, aren't I? I will also allow them to marry one of my progeny, if they are not already arranged to someone higher. Think about it, Maddie could be the future wife of the second most powerful—I, being the first—man in the world." He pursed his lips in thought before giving Penny a tight grin. "Madison Cooper has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

For some unknown reason, Penny started laughing wildly, clutching her stomach as she continued the dissonant chortling.

"What's so funny?" Sheldon asked, his tone laced with sheer harshness as he watched the blonde continue on laughing. If he had a piece of chocolate for her behavior, he wouldn't feed it to her, he would throw it at her. Was this the cause of drinking too much caffeine when you were already drooping with exhaustion? Unless she was going insane, he was going to award her another three strikes for ruining such a generous act from him. "Penny, I demand that you tell my why you are laughing or else I will end this call, block you from my account, and find away to ship your children out to Paris. And do not mistake this as a joke of some sort, as I am dead serious."

The blonde held up a hand as her laughter lessened, taking deep breaths as she tried to calm herself down. How annoying, Sheldon thought. "I'm sorry, I just found the fact that you want _my_ kids to marry _your_ kids!" Penny let out a couple more giggles, and he was unsure if this was an insult and if he should be offended. What was so wrong with what he said? He failed to see anything wrong about it, so why was Penny laughing?! "Don't take it as an offensive comment, but it was just really funny. Three or five years ago, you would have most likely ban me from the apartment if I was the one who brought up that idea. Yet, look at you now! You're even planning on setting up an arranged marriage between Maddie and one of your other children. You'd find it hilarious, too, if you were in my position, I swear." She was now grinning, and he was not the least bit impressed. But as he was very kind, he'd giver her a chance to redeem herself. "And I love how you think that Madison _Cooper_ has a nice ring to it—cause I definitely agree! Can I ask you a question?"

"Seeing as that is already a question, go ahead." Sheldon narrowed his eyebrows at the blonde on his laptop screen and crossed his arms. "What if you wanted Andy to marry one of your intellectually smart super overlord kids? Would you let your daughter take my son' last name, or something?" Where was this conversation even leading up to? He was starting to find Penny's questions as nonsensical, and irrelevant and he was only responding as he wished to see why she found what he said funny. So, far, he only learned that he'd have to be in her position before he could find it funny. He would—in no way—ever want to be in her position. He was happy with his life (though, he would like to finally find a way to invent a time machine) and he had no interest in pursuing an acting career as his former neighbor had. Never in a million years. "Of course not! My daughter will continue to bear the pride name that is Cooper. I'm afraid Andy will have to change his last name into the proud name that is my last name—he'll be more respected if he does that."

Penny's grin slowly widened, as if she just had a brilliant idea. A brilliant, maniacal and devious idea. She was really starting to resemble smiling Brenda. Well, not really, as Brenda had red hair and hazel brown eyes, while Penny had blonde (natural color most likely a dirty blonde) and green eyes—but the way Penny smiled made them look the same. Like a crazy person. "So, he'll have to change his name into _Andrew Cooper_, right?"

"Exactly! He could get Cooper hyphenated, but that matter will be up to Andy." Sheldon solemnly told her, nodding as he unfolded his arms. He was glad that Penny was finally grasping the generosity he was planning on giving to the twins. They were practically going to be the consorts of the future benign rulers, Penny should be lucky that from such an early time, he was already granting her a thrice removed seat on the throne that his children will build. He envisioned a throne akin to the one depicted in A Song of Fire and Ice (not the one featured in the show, as he refused to believe that that puny chair was more than a thousand swords) tall and intimidating—but that would be in a more advanced time, so a futuristic chair would be more appropriate. Maybe, one that hovered, and could teleport, as that would not only showcase their power, but also their greatness as the only ones to have teleporting chairs. Chair, not car. "Can't you imagine it, Penny? It would be wonderful! And with your title as the mother-in-law? I'm sure that my future followers will throw discounts left and right at you whenever you go shop for shoes. Unless, of course, it is the rebellion—that cannot be avoided—who serve you at the mall, then you would most likely be killed. I'm sorry, but I cannot to pay the ransom they'll ask to return you, Penny. That would only be me consenting them."

He shook his head as he envisioned the catastrophe that would stem from Penny shopping without any of the security forces his children would allow the twins to use to protect their mother. Relatives are always the targets of the opposing sides, and if one of the twins _does_ marry one of his overlord children, then that would make Penny a relative. The bubbly (who might not be as bubbly when the time comes) blonde would want to shop for shoes, and she tells her security to go and eat at the food court, and—BAM! She gets kidnapped for ransom, and the opposing side asks for a large sum of money, and for them to free the rest of the rebels. He and his children would not agree—regardless, of how much the twins beg—as the lives of many will be at stake with the release of the rebels, and they kill Penny. He'd have to make her birthdate a special day for her, and they'd all remember her as that one irrelevant person who became a hero. Unless, the rebels got fed up with her incessant yammering when mad, and decides to set her free as that would be an even better way to torture him. Darn. "I can already see how everything will happen, and I can safely say that you should just stop shopping altogether."

Sheldon lowered his gaze back to the laptop screen and saw Penny watching him with a small smile. What was with women and eerily smiling?! "Why are you smiling as if you want to skin me alive, kill me then feed me to a lake filled with piranhas?"

"Nothing," she replied, resting her the side of face on her palm. The coffee must have finally stopped working—he really hoped so. "I'm just fascinated by your vivd imagination! And I gotta say, it's _really_ thoughtful of you to not take me back from the rebels. As the mother of your future unnamed progeny's wife-slash-husband, you really valued me right there."

"Sarcasm?" He bluntly asked and Penny playfully winked in return—that was when he remembered something he wanted to ask the blonde since the start. How he forgot about asking her about it, he didn't know. But it was great that his eidetic memory stopped failing him and reminded him about it. "Which reminds me, I've wanted to ask you something for quite a while, now."

"Go on. You've been answering all of my questions, so I definitely owe you some. Isn't that something that you taught me?" Penny smirked at him as she gave him a thumbs up. "Throw the ball and I'll catch it, Sheldon." Ignoring the horrible metaphor that probably wasn't an actual metaphor, he took a deep breath. There was something about what he was about to ask that made him not want to ask it. There was a rather ominous feeling that was telling him that he was not going to like the answer that Penny was going to give him. That whether the blonde lies or tells the truth, he would not be happy with the answer. Why was such a simple and important question starting to seem foreboding? And why was he starting to fear the question itself? How foolish. Sheldon Cooper did not get frightened by irrelevant questions! Only birds, spiders, germs, hospitals, wild bears, lions, crocodiles, chickens and an entire list of things could scare him, but questions could not. He ate seemingly impossible questions to solve for breakfast, and spit the answers by lunch. He was close to solving String Theory, so this should be a cinch. Or something.

"Who are the twins' father?"

There was an air of silence, and he watched as Penny's eyes widened. His palms started to feel unreasonably clammy, and he was getting agitated by how Penny dumbly stared at the her side of the screen. The ominous feeling was back, grimmer and inauspicious than ever. The silence was staring to eat him alive—the answer shouldn't be so hard to say! All he needed was a name, then he'd be done with the conundrum that was bothering him each time he remembered the single missing detail he didn't know about the twins. Not only was he curious to find out, he was _anxious_ to know about it. A part of him wanted the father to be Leonard, but that was still questionable. He was uneasy at the thought of letting some stranger's children in his house, regardless of the fact that they were also Penny's children, and that he was already more than accustomed to the tykes. They were quickly mixing into his routine, and as a creature of habit, he did not like change. It already took a lot for him to adjust to them being temporarily in his life, and it would take a lot more for him to get rid of them shall they prove to be Zack or Kurt's or some idiot's children. Unlike, Penny who barely took a second to disregard all of them, he realized that it wouldn't be too easy to do the same for the twins.

As much as he didn't want to admit it, they were good kids. There were even times were he didn't think that them being there was a bad idea. It was nice to have worshippers around, even if they still didn't consider him as fun. He no longer got annoyed as much as he used to whenever Andy pestered him with questions while they watched movies. Though he didn't understand her love for it, he had gotten used to Maddie wanting to get carried, and him carrying her. Now, whenever she so much as lifted her arms, he would automatically lift her up. Like a dog to the ringing of a bell, but he no longer resisted it. It really was good exercise for him, and the constant one arm carrying of the toddler made him much better at Trestling. He even managed to beat all three of his weak opponents in barely a second! However, he couldn't say the same with his left arm, but he was working on it. Their routine (since they started daycare) even synchronized and fit perfectly with his. The two of them were even beneficial than he thought them to be, and he wondered if he really would kick them out shall they not be Leonard's children. He wasn't sure.

Penny visibly took a deep breath, her startled expression turning into a serious one. "Sheldon, the truth is the twins' father—"

The blonde was interrupted by four knocks on the door, and Sheldon immediately knew who it was. "Penny, hold that thought," he ordered before standing and making his way towards the front door and opening it. "You're late."

Amy lifted her gaze and cocked an eyebrow, "hello to you, too, Sheldon. I already informed you that I would be late, and I am. Wouldn't you be much more annoyed if I said that I were to be late yet arrived early?" Sheldon frowned at his friend; he hated it when she outsmarted him. This must have been the result of her work with monkeys—being around monkeys was very relaxing, and could possibly help people become smarter. That was actually just made up by him, but if he were to be allowed to work beside a monkey, he might be able to quicken his research and get that much awaited Nobel sooner than expected! Imagine if he got to do his work beside a monkey while being aboard a train! "You are right, I would be much more annoyed if you did show up on a later time than the specific time that you said you would arrive." He stepped back, motioning his arm towards the chair. "Please, do sit down."

The brunette silently nodded, walking towards the leather couch. "Oh, and that reminds me; there is a pizza delivery man standing in the front your apartment and seeing that it _is_ a Friday—and that it was from Giacomo's—I believe that it was yours." She sat on the farthest from her spot, her head still turned towards the physicist. "And I heard him mumbling that he had zero intentions of walking up four flights of stairs, so I'd reconsider that tip you always give."

"That is completely unacceptable!" Sheldon hissed, marching towards his desk to grab his wallet. "It is part of their company policy to deliver the pizza at the _doorstep!_ The doorstep is four stories high, then you have to climb those four flights of stairs!" Completely forgetting about the conversation he was having with Penny, he stormed past the brunette and the blonde on the screen and slammed the door behind him. He was going to give this policy breacher a piece of his mind.

* * *

Amy stared at the front door that received harsh treatment merely seconds ago. She wasn't lying about the pizza delivery man not wanting to go up—but she wished that Sheldon didn't just leave her alone in the apartment.

Sheldon was a bit more impulsive than he thought, and that got her thinking of a new research she could conduct via placing electrodes in ones brain to monitor their specific responses to her questions. How much does one really know oneself? That would be the title of her new experiment that would most like create buzz in the neuroscience community. She knew a lot of people who were not aware of some traits they had that they also denied having. Like one of her colleagues in the department who kept on denying that he was manic depressive even when they normally caught him laughing then suddenly crying about how the window got dirty. Although, some have said that he was just south of going insane, but she was going to take her chances. It's just like how people determine if someone has an addiction; they constantly deny it even though they were already caught in the act. Maybe, she could even combine this new research with the current one she was doing with drug addicted monke—

"Amy, is that you?" A voice—that sounded a lot like a certain gorgeous blonde—called out from somewhere. The brunette scanned the room for any sign of another person (or hallucination) and found her eyes locked with Sheldon's laptop. It was her bestie! On the screen! She got to spend another fun day chatting with Penny! "Bestie, hello! How are you? How long have you been online? Is the weather fine there in Paris? Is Paris treating you well? Isn't it almost five in the morning there? Why are you awake? How can you still look so radiant at such an ungodly hour?!"

Penny blinked at the brunette who was now in front of her screen. She didn't expect Amy to turn up, or Sheldon impulsively leaving just to argue with the delivery guy in how he's doing his job wrong. She was _so_ ready to tell Sheldon the truth—it was hard to keep up with their conversation without blurting out the truth—but it seemed like this wasn't the right time. If there was one thing she learned in her twenty-five years of life; it was that things happened for a reason. It could be for a stupid reason, or a wonderful life changing reason, but a reason was still a reason. That's what she liked to believe; it keeps her optimistic. Then the truth would either have to wait, or make Sheldon find it out by himself. Because this charade was not going to last forever. "Uh, hello to you, too, Amy. I can't really answer all those questions at the same time, so... yeah I'm doing good. What are you doing over at 4A?"

"Sheldon invited me over as the guys are currently attending a tenured professor's bachelor party that Sheldon didn't want to attend."

Oh, another tenured professor that Sheldon didn't do something for. If she somehow becomes the blame for Sheldon not going, she was definitely going to find a way to threaten Caltech's entire tenure committee to never have any event, again. One incident was good enough, and she had no plans of getting involved in another one. She already checked the website Sheldon made for the classes, and with the amount of strikes she had—she was going to have to sit in front of her laptop for quite a while. "I see. Uh, so, how are you, Amy?"

"I'm glad that you asked, bestie!" The brunette's face lit up as she scooted closer to the laptop, "my research on drug addicted monkeys is going well! I finally got them hooked on chewing tobacco, and am now surveying their reactions to replacements like chewing gum." Penny smiled at the ecstatic neurobiologist that was telling her of the new experiments that her department was conducting. Amy was nice—she was a bit odd, sometimes, but she was okay. Based on what Bernadette said, Amy was actually really great once you get to know her more, and that she had started binge watching Halfway There just so she could talk about it with Penny. She also said that Amy and Sheldon had a peculiar (in the good way) relationship, and that they were all betting on when Sheldon would finally ask Amy to be his girlfriend. She didn't know much about their relationship, yet, so she decided not to take part in the betting. It was a shame, cause the stakes were getting pretty high.

"So, Amy hows's your and Sheldon's relationship going?"

"Ah! Gossip! The international language that everyone can speak," Amy adjusted her glasses as she thought. "Our relationship is still on a solid plateau that is slowly crossing the oceans towards our desired destination." Penny looked confused, and Amy continued, "you cannot rush things with Sheldon. Sheldon has great difficulty adjusting to change, and if not brought into it properly, he would be like a proton torpedo going down an open exhaust port—he explodes. Homeostasis is the name of his game, and if you want to change something with him, it has to be slow. Like trying to get monkeys hooked on a different kind of drug, you lessen the old one, and slowly bring in the new one." Like her experimental monkeys, Sheldon was not easily pushed towards change. It took a while before he even acknowledged the budding relationship between them—specifically after the comic book store owner, Stuart, tried to ask her out on a date. Sheldon stalked them to the movie theatre, and proposed that they change their platonic relationship to something a bit more than friends, but it wasn't an actual relationship, either. But she would take what she could get.

Another instance of Sheldon not being able to habituate to change was during the time that she first met him. He was distant, and always had an irritated-slash-far away look on his face. When she talked to (the emotionally distressed) Leonard about it, he said that Sheldon was still irritated by one of their friends just disappeared without so much as a goodbye. He said that even though Sheldon didn't say it out loud he missed that friend of their greatly, and he was having trouble adjusting to not having her around. Thinking about it now, that friend was _Penny,_ as Sheldon had moments where he would suddenly ramble about how much Penny had ruined their lives by saying hello. She did not know much about the car stopping blonde actress back then, and if she did, she would most likely berate Sheldon for speaking so ill about her. But now that she understood the fact that Sheldon hated change, she could safely say that he was clearly upset when Penny left. The blonde was just so life changing like that.

Then about four months after she had met the guys, Leonard suddenly left Pasadena for about a week, which further distressed Sheldon. With his bespectacled roommate gone, she, Raj, Howard and Bernadette often alternated in driving him to work. Sheldon tried to contact Leonard several times, but his roommate never replied. Sheldon got even more upset than ever, and that was when she started hearing his hatred for Penny. He would say, "if Penny never said hi to us in that hallway—Leonard is equally as guilty—then we wouldn't be in this mess!" When she asked about what exactly the 'mess' was, he said, "if Penny ignored us, then Leonard would have never fallen head over heels obsessed with her. Thus, they would never have gotten into a relationship, she never would have broke his heart _twice_ by breaking up with him and leaving the state, he would've never turned into an emotional mess that suddenly upped and left leaving me into a very irritated man!" It took a trip to the zoo with Raj to calm him down, and about a week later, Leonard returned.

Leonard's return even made it worse. For some unknown reason, Leonard completely stopped talking to Sheldon. He still drove him to work, bought him food and did the rest of their routine, but he never talked to him. Sheldon got so frustrated with it that he became worried, and tried to buy Leonard sudden dislike for him with various objects. Then, one day after having had enough of Sheldon's incessant asking of why he was mad at him, Leonard had an outburst then forgave him. Everything went back to normal after that, but Leonard disappeared at least once a week for the next six months without any explanation of where he was going. After that, it was Leonard and Raj who started going somewhere that they never told Sheldon about. From what she heard from Bernadette, it was then that they were all meeting with Penny who had just moved back to California with the twins after she had gotten the role in her show. She knew that Sheldon never went with them, as she was the one who was putting up with his whining of them leaving him when the others were out with Penny. Had she known Penny, then, she would most likely choose her over Sheldon.

The most recent instance of Sheldon and change was when the twins came to live with them. Admitted, she only found about the twins when they were at the park, but she had been hearing Sheldon whine about something he found unacceptable about a month before. He was most likely talking about the twins. He never actually mentioned them, but he would sometimes tell her, "don't be fooled by tiny organisms—it only takes one action for them to knock superior beings down without a single thought." She still has yet to understand what he meant by that, but thinking about it now, it was the twins. They were the only tiny organisms in their apartment, unless he was talking about Leonard doing something he disapproved of. That was about two or three weeks ago, and things have surely changed. Whenever she caught up with Sheldon, he would mention the twins at least once in the conversation, and his comments weren't as negative as she thought. Sheldon would say, "the twins are doing excellent progress in solving puzzles. They seem to be a natural," or "Maddie did the silliest thing today; she and her twin wee building blocks when she got frustrated and threw the block at the tower. She missed, and it his Leonard's coffee, causing it to spill all over his futile research. It was hilarious." He sounded like some sort of proud dad, and she couldn't believe how quickly he had adjusted to the twins. It gave her an inkling of hope that the paradigm shift she wanted was possible.

Penny looked like she was deeply thinking about something trivial, with the way her lips were pursed and her eyebrows furrowed. She was gorgeous even when she didn't want to be—and she couldn't believe that she was her bestie! "I see, go slow, huh. Did you ever tell Sheldon that you wanted a relationship form him?"

"No, as if I did, he would only avoid the topic of a paradigm shift even more. The key is to let him figure it out by himself; he's a smart man, he can do it. That's why I drop him subtle hints about what I want from him," Amy winked at the blonde through the screen, hoping that the blonde would understand what she meant. "When we're watching tv, and there's a preview for those romantic shows that he abhors, I tell him that it would be nice to hold hands. Or to enter into emotionally mutual relationship that doesn't only consist of intellectual understanding."

"And did he get your hints?" The brunette shook her head, and Penny sighed. "Not really, as Sheldon has trouble grasping hints, but I'm working on it. I believe that if he gets hinted at often, he'll start understand. It's an experiment, as well as me trying to help him."

"Are you still planning on having children together?" What an odd question, Amy mused. Penny had asked this when they first met, and if she was asking it _again_ it meant that Penny cared about her well being! How utterly heart warming! "We have yet to talk about it ever since Sheldon cancelled it due to Leonard's badgering. He was saying something about children being loved and not being shaped to become future overlords. I believe that his opinion of it relates back to his troubled relationship with his mother, and her saying that there's no guarantee that if you have kids that you're going to like them. It was straight from his mother's new book, and Sheldon even sent me a signed copy." Amy smiled at the blonde; when Penny returns, she was going to lend her the book so that she, too, could be enlightened by it's wise words. "Leonard has obvious parental issues, and thus Sheldon and I do not take it seriously. But it is still on hold."

Amy watched as Penny crossed her arms, her face still evident of thought. Oh, how she wished that she could take a peak into that beautiful, mysterious mind. "Just curious, but how is Sheldon with the twins?" What an absolutely new question that made her think about it herself. Based on what Sheldon texts her and what he says during the video calls, he was very fond of the twins. Like she said, he sounded like a proud father whenever the twins did something to mess up the others' work. Just the yesterday, he sent her a picture of Howard's invention that Andy had accidentally bumped off the table. Sheldon was shaping the toddlers to become the others' ultimate destruction. How cute. "Well, I must say that Sheldon is excellent with the twins." The blonde blinked, obviously unable to comprehend what she had just said. If she had not witnessed it herself, she would also be skeptical. "It is to my knowledge that Sheldon has a great dislike for children—except the hypothetical ones we talk about—and seeing him with the twins strongly contradicts that. Though, at first, I believe that Sheldon was not too fond of them, but after a while, they're the second most topic he discusses. When we have our daily conversations, he mentions them at least once, and he often sounds like a proud father bragging off to his friends. He talks about how the twins are quickly grasping everything that he teaches them, and how they are absolute terrors when it comes to the others' work. They ruin Leonard's research at least once every week, and I highly believe that it was Sheldon's instructions to do so."

The look that Penny had on her face was very confusing to Amy. It was one that made her look torn, and somewhat unsure of what she said. She didn't look like she was doubting her words—it was completely the opposite of that. She looked as if she just realized that she made a mistake and was starting to regret it. Like in those movies that Raj always make them watch where the woman finds out that the man she loved didn't do anything wrong, and she regrets whatever she did to get back at him for supposedly cheating on her. That was the closest thing she knew of that she could compare to the look Penny had, and she wondered what she was thinking about. "It also amazes me how quickly Sheldon warmed up to them. I'm sure you know that Sheldon strongly dislikes strangers, and he took a while before even considering me as a friend. I believe it took him a year before considering Leonard to be his friend—as with you. He said that it took a lot to accommodate you into his life, which was why he was very upset when you left. He also said that the three years of struggling were for naught. Unlike with the twins, who barely took a month to get him to like them. Seeing him with children he isn't even related to makes me sure that he would be a good father shall he push through with having children."

Distraught; that was the exact word that Amy used to define the expression Penny had, now. What was so upsetting about what she said? This was not good—she didn't want her bestie to be upset! But she couldn't see anything wrong with what she said. Was it because she said that it took a full year before Sheldon considered her as a friend? Would it make her feel better if she told her that it barely took her a minute to call her as a friend, and barely a day to be deemed her bestie? She didn't like seeing Penny frown—they'd only seen each other twice, but she could tell that Penny was a happy person, like her progeny. Bernadette pointed out that Penny was a very friendly and bubbly person, which was obviously inherited by Andy. Maddie was friendly, too, but the toddler was a bit less laid back than Andy, and was often seen reprimanding her twin for being noisy. It somehow reminded her of Sheldon; minus the friendly part, as Sheldon had his own way of doing things. Regardless of how off-putting their first encounter was, she had also warmed up to the twins. They were a bit too happy for her liking, but they were splendid children who never cried. Unlike most children of their age, they could talk and express themselves (even with a limited repertoire of words), seldom cried—and when they did it was just a few shedding of tears—and were very logical. They liked to ask questions, and they didn't forget the answers.

Back to her original trail of thought; Penny couldn't possibly be upset in knowing that the twins were very close to Sheldon! If that was so, then she wouldn't have left them with Sheldon and Leonard. If you asked her, Sheldon and Leonard were her own personal picks as top babysitters! Raj would probably spoil them too much, and Howard and Bernadette would most likely lose them like they did with Raj's dog, Cinnamon. The roommates were the only logical people to leave them with, and that was probably the reason why Penny chose them. If she wasn't upset about hearing that Sheldon and the twins have a good relationship, then what made her upset? This was making her upset, too, and she desperately wanted to make Penny feel better. Maybe, Penny had misjudged Sheldon, and thought that he would turn the twins into robots, or something incredulous. Then, due to her credible opinion of Sheldon being a good guardian, Penny has started to regret doubting Sheldon's abilities. That must have been it! But why would she be upset, if that _was_ the case? "Bestie, are you upset? Did anything I say insult you in a way? Do you want me to dance foolishly in attempt to make you feel better? Would you like me to fly out to Paris and console you with a comforting hug? Just say it and I'll prepare everything I need."

Penny sent her a sad smile, and Amy felt her heart breaking. It was smile that was riddled with guilt, doubt and regret. "No, I'm okay, I just thought of something that I was wrong about." Her smile perked up slightly, and Amy found herself smiling as well. The blonde's smile was infectious, even when it wasn't a happy one. "I have one last question; what do you even see in Sheldon?"

The blonde was just being the over-protective friend that was skeptical of the other's potential boyfriend! Maybe, that was why Penny was upset—because she was unsure if Sheldon would be an okay boyfriend to her. What a great friend! This was another reason why she already loved the blonde. Although, they only met twice, she was so kind to her! She never treated her like a stranger or how other people treated her, and made her feel like she was an outcast. Penny—who was a very famous celebrity—treated her warmly, regardless of her superstar status. Most people would be creeped out by her actions when they first met, but Penny stuck through their entire conversation without even showing her a single sign that she didn't like her. That was why she liked the blonde so much, she was a great person and she strongly wished that they had met when they were younger. If they did, then she would have had a funner time growing up. But that didn't matter, because now she had the greatest friend she could have ever had (apologies to Sheldon and Bernadette) and she wasn't going to let her down in any way she could possibly do so.

"Sheldon is not as bad as most people think," she started off, sending the blonde a small smile of her own, "he's not used to reaching out to people, so you really have to make an effort to be friends with him. But when he starts considering you as his friend, he'll try to be a good one, even if he doesn't show it too often. When I first entered Sheldon's circle of friends, they grew wary of me as they didn't understand me, yet. And although, Sheldon and I reached an impasse when we both could not successfully refute each others' hypothesis, he still found a way for me to befriend the rest of the group. Raj by surveying his mind to see why he has selective mutism, Leonard by accompanying me to my cousin's wedding, Howard for our mutual love for Neil Diamond, and Bernadette for our general love of all things feminine. And now, he is connecting me with you." Amy's smile widened at the thought of how Sheldon introduced her to Penny, and how he widened his social circle. "He's not aware of what he does, and what he can do. But when he does do something good, it makes it all the more touching. He has a lot of cons that overthrows his pros, but when his pros come into effect, it makes you forget about the cons."

Penny was at a loss for words as she took in what Amy had said. She didn't expect Amy to say something so... deep. She had never looked at it that way, and it made her foolish to not have done so. Sure, Sheldon was one of the most obnoxious, arrogant, condescending person she had ever met, but it didn't mean that he was a bad person. She suddenly remembered how he took the blame from when Leonard lied to her about being unable to attend her version of Rent, and how he put up with her badgering of what to do in Age of Conan, and his attempt to bring her back into the dating scene. Then there was when he gave her that year worth supply of bath products, and the hug that made her cry; when he loaned her money when she couldn't pay rent, and when he helped her with her penny blossom business. And how could she forget the time when he drove her to the hospital, even though he couldn't drive, and eventually led to him being thrown in jail. But the latter was mainly his fault. She had been so unsure of her decision this past month that i stead of trying to befriend Sheldon again, she instead focused on finding more reasons why she should _never_ tell him the truth. Which was a huge, gigantic mistake, because based on what she heard from all of them—Leonard, Raj, and now Amy—she was definitely wrong. If she had known then... then she wouldn't have put herself in so much trouble, now.

What a mess.

Well, looking back at the conversation she and Sheldon had before Amy arrived, it seemed like he had finally forgiven her. If he hadn't, then he would have ended the call when he wanted to, yet, he still chose to stay. She really missed the whack-a-doodle, and she only fully acknowledged it, now. Hearing the exact opposite of what you wanted to hear was really mind changing. Now, that she was clearly proven wrong, she'd have to make a decision. Sheldon deserved to know the truth, even if he didn't want to know it. Her decision was unfair to him, and Leonard was right from the very start. But, Amy said that things like these were crucial when it came to Sheldon. He had to discover the truth by himself—and she was _so_ close to telling it, too! If she told him the truth when he wasn't ready, he might not be able to accept it, and reject it completely. She didn't want that, after they had all come this far. She was coming back to California in a month, and she had originally intended that if Sheldon didn't find out by then, she would never tell him, and they would all move on with their lives.

Leonard did not—at all—approve of that idea, and neither did Raj. But it was the most logical decision she had when Leonard first pitched his stupid idea. Now, she couldn't say that she was still thinking of sticking with the plan. It would be unfair to all of them if the truth didn't come out, and they all pretended that everything never happened. But she couldn't tell the truth unless he was ready for it! This was so frustrating! Maybe, this wouldn't be as confusing if she didn't run away. She wished she could picture what could have been if she told the truth way back when, but she couldn't. Even now, she couldn't envision what would happen once she returns. Each time she tried, it was just a blank; nothing came into mind, not even an imagination of what wouldn't happen. It was like something was stopping her from trying to overthink everything, because if she did, everything will spiral down into chaos. She didn't want that, and she agreed to Leonard's idea to make things right. Now, that she had finally matured, she always made sure that she knew what she was getting into, even if it be a simple thought. How would she be able to do that if the only thing she saw in this 'what if' scenario was an irritating blank. God, this sucked, but as the song goes; que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be. Stupid wrong life choices.

"Aun-teh Aye-mee!"

Amy turned towards the hall, leaving the blonde who was deep in thought to continue what she was doing. "Oh, hello children. You've awaken from your naps, I see."

Andy nodded, smiling widely beside Maddie who was frowning. Maddie hated getting woken up from a good sleep—which was each time she slept—and was often grumpy due to Andy wanting her to be awake when he was awake. Andy was not fond of sleeping. At all. "Who Aun-teh Aye-mee talk to?" The make toddler asked as he and his twin made their way towards their couches.

"Your mother," the brunette grabbed the laptop, rotating it to face the twins. "She has been waiting for you to wake up so she could say hi."

"Mommy!" Maddie exclaimed, suddenly snapping out of the sleepy daze she was in and stood in front of the laptop. "How mommy? Wat doing?" Andy stood beside his twin, placing a firm hand on his twins' shoulder to make her step away. "Maddie! Andy talk to mommy, too!"

"I do not understand why people as lazy as that insufferable delivery man are even tolerated and hired in a job where you are required to deliver the pizza on time, and at one's doorstep." Sheldon snarled as he entered the apartment, carrying the pizza box in one hand. "It was a good thing that I brought my phone with me or else I wouldn't have been able to call Giacomo's and complained about the horrible service boy." He placed the box beside the laptop before surveying the scene in front of him. "Oh, the twins are awake. Is Penny still online?"

"I'm still here, Sheldon," Penny called from the laptop, still facing the fighting twins who she really had to talk to when she gets back. They really shouldn't fight, ever. "I can smell pizza!"

Sheldon grabbed the necessary utensils and placed them in front of each of the diners, "Penny, I find that impossible as the internet has yet to develop a sense of smell." He took out the twins' sippy cups from the fridge and handed it to them before taking a seat on his spot.

"When will you ever grow a sense of humor?" The blonde hissed, shaking her head as Amy laughed, "oh, bestie, you are literally the funniest!" Sheldon scoffed at the two women as he sliced the twins' pizza into tiny pieces. Women. "Which reminds me, Sheldon," Penny said once the laptop was turned back to Sheldon, "why are my children wearing superhero shirts?"

The theoretical physicist raised an eyebrow, glancing at Andy and Maddie who were wearing a The Hulk and a She-Hulk shirt, respectively. There was absolutely nothing wrong with superhero appreciation, and it was much better than those hideous dresses and jumpers that Penny packed for the twins. "Think of it as the collection for the month," he smiled smugly at Penny's image on the screen. "These selections of mine are so much better than those things you consider as _fashionable_."

"Oh no, you did not just insult my choice in fashion." Penny smirked, they were back to the old days when all of their conversations were full of banter; and that made her question her next decisions regarding Sheldon.

* * *

Sheldon stared at the paper, angling it slightly so that he could see the words properly.

_Negative. Not related._

"I asked my colleague to run it three times just to make sure," Amy stoically said, handing him three more envelopes filled with test results. "And I must ask, how did you get the samples? You are very lucky that my colleague at the lab agreed to do it without any of the paperwork, needed. Well, that was mainly because Faisal funded the biochemistry department, as well, and they simply cannot say no to me."

"I have my ways," he answered, still staring at the paperwork. Sure, he found a way to get Leonard's and the twins' DNA samples, yet he couldn't manage to figure out who their father was. This was slowly turning into an alley with a dead end. "Are you sure that these results are to be trusted? Maybe, your friend slacked off and made a mistake?"

Amy peered at him through her glasses, an affronted look on her face. "Sheldon, although I do not care much for that colleague, I do not believe that they will give me faulty results that could possibly end their department's entire funding." The theoretical physicist sighed, placing the results back into the envelop. "It seems that you have reached an impasse with this theory you have. May I suggest your next unthought of move?"

"Sure, go ahead. This is a cul-de-sac of ideas, anyway."

"Why don't you just ask Penny? Isn't that the most logical way of finding out the truth? I truly do not understand why you are putting yourself to so much trouble, when there is already a possible solution." The neurobiologist brought out her car keys as they reached her car. "However, knowing you, you will not be satisfied with results that are just handed to you. Which is probably why you're running around in circles." She unlocked her car, and got inside, sending Sheldon a look. "As your friend, I highly suggest that you stop beating around the bush and get the answers you want. That is all, goodnight to you, Sheldon."

He sullenly nodded, waving as Amy drove back home before dumping the envelopes into a trashcan. So, he was wrong all along; Leonard was _not_ the twins' father, and all of the hours he spent planning on how he was going to show Leonard that he knew the truth were in vain.

If they weren't Leonard's, then who's were they?

* * *

**We are so close to the revelation chapter that I can almost taste it! Also, please don't question me on how a paternity test works, and how Sheldon got the samples, because I simply cannot have an answer for everything. I hope that you saw the major hint bombs I dropped, cause they were so intentional, same goes with Penny's ultra vague thoughts.**

**Happy birthday to me! *Hands all of you milkshakes***


	8. Awarded Band-Aids

**I usually start writing right after I update and it normally takes me a week to finish a chapter (short attention span + no more pre-made chapters left + internet use once a week.) Which sucks cause I wanna update frequently and hopefully more than once. Even after a week, only the first part of this story was finished—BUT! Somehow, when I played Bastille's **_**Pompeii**_** nonstop while writing, I finished this within a day! Literally 90% was done! **

**To Leanne: Penny's thoughts gets their own chapter, as her perspective is actually different than what I've been letting on. Sheldon has a lot to learn, but when he finds out the truth, no one will hit him with it harder than himself. Smiling Brenda is **_**very**_** myseterious... and will appear with her own drabble in the bts chapter! Yay for creepy woman! Even I want to watch Halfway There, and I'm shocked that I'm producing so much ideas for it :-D It'd be a fun show if it were ever real. Oh! That's kind of awesome! What's the name of that show? The similarities are blowing my mind and it sounds like a real life Halfway There! How Sheldon learns the truth will not be in the way some expect it to be, and everything will come crashing down after that! My birthday was really fun and even greater was gift was that I got like 20% of this chapter done right after I woke up! The revelation is soooon! :-D**

**To redsakuranbo: Thank you! ^_^ Sheldon's reaction is just sitting on the horizon, and I can assure you, it will be even more intense than the scene with the magazine. I'm really happy that you enjoyed that scene! And thank you for the greeting and the kind words! :-D**

**And thank you to everyone who has reviewed and are following the story so far!**

* * *

Sheldon leaned back against his spot—clearly bored—as Penny went on and on about a party he had no intention of attending.

"It's gonna be a private event, so you don't have to worry about anyone bothering you or the twins," the blonde informed them through their usual means of communication; Skype via the tv. "And the dress code isn't too strict, but don't wear anything too tacky."

Raj hummed, placing his bottle of beer down on the coffee table. "Is a sweater vest considered tacky?"

"Unless it's of a solid color, no design whatsoever, it is." Penny answered, causing the astrophysicist to sigh in response. If only she was actually there, then she wouldn't be worried about what her friends would look like. She would just buy the clothes they would wear, and everything would be fine. Although, if she was there with them, there wouldn't be a party at all, and she would be attending the _Emmys_ like every excited sane person would. Sadly, there was just not enough time for her to fly back, get fixed and attend the awards show, then fly back to Paris to resume all of the lost time she had. Since she couldn't make it to the awards show, the _Halfway There_ crew organized a viewing party for her, instead of attending the awards show. It was sweet and stupid at the same time, as if their show wins, only the executive producers would be there to accept the award. But, she guessed that they didn't care since _Modern Family_ practically won every year. "You can bring anyone you want to bring, I already gave your names to my friends. Howard, you can bring Bernadette if you want to."

"Thanks, but there was a chipmunk virus that had a breakout and she had to get back to work." Howard said, a nervous smile on his face. "But, like they say, more viruses, more money."

Penny nodded, unsure if more viruses really was good for humanity. "Oh okay. Like I said, bring anyone you want to bring," her eyes shifted towards the silent physicist who looked like he wasn't even listening to her. They already restored the friendship they used to have (though she was unsure of which year of friendship) and it somehow bothered her how he seemed to not care. Ever since their little chat from last week he had become more friendly towards her. He now joined in whenever she called, and even engaged in minor banal chit chat when he felt like it. It made her feel as if nothing ever changed between them, and Amy was the happiest about it. Something about her bestie and her closest male friend becoming friends forever. Speaking of Amy, "Sheldon, you can bring Amy if you'd like."

"Why would I invite her to a party I have no intention of going to?" The sharpness of Sheldon's tone cut through all of their excitement of attending a party like a knife slicing through a stick of butter, causing the room to fall silent.

The theoretical physicist lifted an eyebrow as he surveyed his friends' reactions to what he said. Leonard choked on his licorice; Howard stared at him in disbelief, Raj took a long sip of his beer and the blonde on the television had her mouth slightly agape. What was so wrong about what he said? They all knew that he had zero interest in affairs such as that, so why did they look so shocked? He may have returned his friendship status with Penny, but that absolutely did not mean that he would engage in such frivolous events such as parties. A costume party, maybe, unless the people in attendance have no clue whatsoever on what the Doppler effect is. Parties were unnecessary and just plain downright stupid, in his opinion. He couldn't understand why his three colleagues became so enthralled with they idea of 'partying' with celebrities. Would Stan Lee be there? No. Would Leonard Nimoy be there? No. Would William Shatner be there? No. Therefore, there was no reason to go. "I ponder on why you look at me with such bafflement, but it does not make me change my mind. I am not going."

"Sheldon," Leonard whispered, gently tugging on his roommate's sleeve, "we're not going just because we want to see famous people—well, kind of—but we're really going so we can support Penny. You should, too."

Support Penny? Wouldn't watching her shows and movies and buying the magazines that featured her be a better way of supporting her rather than just going to a party that basically does nothing to better the lives of the common good? He failed to see how going to a party that had set up a screen that broadcasted the award show would be considered as a way of supporting their former neighbor. It would be more logical to wish her luck (he didn't believe in luck) than to attend that party. Considering the looks that his friends were currently giving him, his obvious refusal to join was not accepted. What did they want him to do? Lie and tell Penny that he would be happy to go? With the way the three men nodded, he guessed that they knew what he was thinking, and that he had no way of escaping this disastrous affair. Darn. "Penny, I highly believe that you will not miss my presence at that party and I am sure that there is a limited number of people who may join. Thus, I shall take one for the team and voluntarily not go."

"I'd be happier if you could go," Penny casually stated, making Sheldon frown. "I want all of you to go, actually. So, that you can meet some of my new friends, and so that the twins can go." Sheldon's gaze moved to the blonde toddlers who were mindlessly playing with their toys in front of the tv. "It's been a while seen my friends have seen the twins, and they've been bugging me about getting you guys to bring them to them."

"I'm sure that these three will be efficient enough to do the menial task of attending the party and taking the twins. I see no need for me there." Penny sighed heavily; you really cannot teach an old dog new tricks. It's not that she _really_ wanted Sheldon to go, she was just hoping that along with their newfound friendship came a more supportive Sheldon. She always knew that Sheldon had little to no respect for her acting career, but with her rise to fame, she hoped that he would at least have a tiny speck of respect for it. She just wanted him to see that acting wasn't as bad as he thought, that was it. There was no other reason, seriously. "I'm not even sure how I'm even going to try and convince you to go. Knowing you, I could cry and beg all I want, and you still wouldn't join."

Sheldon smirked, crossing his arms once he realized that the others realized that trying to change his mind was futile. "I am glad that you're finally seeing it my way, Penny. In all the years that we've known each other, you have never shown signs of even being able to understand me. This may be the day that you finally understand that you are no match for me." He watched as Penny frowned, her eyes slightly narrowing at his words. She could get upset all she wants, but there really was no point of arguing with him once he made up his mind. It wasn't because he didn't want to 'support' the blonde, it was just his general dislike for frivolous activities. He wasn't doing it to spite her like what the others may think—he just really hated parties. There was really no point of having them (unless it was a viewing party or a costume one that consisted of fictional characters) especially when the people in attendance were those whom he had never ever met. He hated strangers, and they all knew that. He didn't care how many times Leonard was going to tell him that they would only be strangers if he didn't try to get to know them; he hated strangers. Period. "I applaud you for this wonderful achievement, Penny, and I wish you luck on that award, even though I don't believe in luck."

Raj shook his head at his former boss, turning to Leonard who shared the similar look of disgust. "Boy, he sure can be a gigantic ass when he wants to, can't he?" The experimental physicist chuckled, ignoring the look of hatred Sheldon sent each of them and turning back to the screen. "Don't mind him, Penny, he'll go. So, when you say tacky, what _do_ you mean tacky? I can wear my red corduroy suit and the paisley shirt, right? That isn't tacky?"

The blonde gave him an apologetic smile, "sorry, sweetie, but it's considered tacky.

Why don't you and the others go out shopping, and I'll send you pictures of what you can wear?"

Sweetie, huh. Sheldon briefly recalled a time when Penny called Leonard _honey_ to distinguish him from those she called sweetie. That was a little after the two upgraded their relationship to one that included carnal activities, before everything crashed and burned for the two of them which now led them to where they were today. It was somewhat nostalgic, but that was not the point that had captured his attention. It was the change of term of endearment that he only seemed to notice, now. Barely noticeable, yet so important. The simple change somehow supported the unthinkable hypothesis that Leonard and Penny no longer had any lingering feelings for each other. But it was more on Penny's part, rather than Leonard's. This proved that Penny now only saw Leonard as a friend, but said nothing about Leonard's feelings regarding the blonde. He could possibly still be head over heels obsessed with her like he used to be, or he could be in a stage where he had finally moved on. Sheldon hoped for the latter, as that would make his life much simpler. If that was how it was two years ago, then they wouldn't be stuck in an idiotic conversation about parties. Penny also wouldn't have to suddenly leave without any explanation.

That thought suddenly brought him to the conundrum that he was currently facing; the twins' father. Thanks to Amy—and her colleague—he had finally put the Leonard issue down to rest. His tiny roommate really wasn't the twins' father. For some reason, he wasn't happy about it yet he was also relieved. But, he was mad, as this only led him to another dead end in this experiment, and he had yet to find another street to walk on. He had been so sure that it was Leonard (though he had nearly zero evidence to back it up) and now that he was proven wrong, he no longer had any other ideas left. His mind had run dry, and even if Leonard did still have romantic feelings for Penny, it wouldn't solve anything. Thinking back to what Amy said to him, it would be wiser to just ask Penny—but, that was the normal person's way of finding out the truth. To wait for someone to get the answers then asking for it. He was a scientist (a proud one at that) and the logical way of getting answers was by finding it out by yourself. But all he needed was the apple that would fall on his head for him to realize gravity, or to notice the way water rose that would somehow lead to him discovering a method of determining the purity of gold. That was practically all he needed; that one nudge that would pave the way to a eureka.

However, he had no idea on when that breakthrough would come.

"—I actually have some formalwear packed for the twins," he heard Penny say to Raj, their conversation now about clothes, "there's a bunch of dresses for Maddie, so that won't be a problem, and you'll find a cute little grey suit jacket that will go great with any shirt. Plus, it would look great with the navy blue colored shorts I packed instead of matching it with the usual slacks. And you can practically get Andy to go for that casual-yet-formal look that I am totally envisioning right now!"

"I think that would look great!" Raj chirped, looking at the three silent men in approval before grinning at the blonde on the screen. "I'm thinking of a grey-cream-navy blue combination? Then Maddie can wear something with the same color as Andy's outfit!"

Maddie paused from making her doll eat dinner as her ears picked up the mention of her name. She placed her doll on the tiny seat then tilted her head to face the adults, "say Maddie name?"

Andy, who was playing with a toy car halted to join in with his twin. "Andy name, too?" He scanned the four adults sitting on the couch before turning to the tv that showcased his mother's face. "Mommy?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell them about the party," Penny mumbled, slightly frowning. "You're going to go and see Uncle Gregg and Aunt Bailey tomorrow." The blonde watched the twins' faces break into a wide grin at the mention of her two friends. "You and your uncles are going to attend a party, does that sound fun?"

Maddie's eyes widened, "dwink wine? Maddie dwink wine, too?"

"Wine?" Leonard asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, it was a few months back when I had to attend this party for one of the executive producers, and I couldn't bring them with me." Penny nodded, chuckling softly at the memory. It was about a month before she left for France, and everyone from the show was invited to the executive producer's fiftieth birthday. Since it was held at a fancy restaurant—that she still couldn't pronounce the name of—she couldn't just bring the twins to a party full of snooty people. So, she called up their usual babysitter to watch over the twins. Then, when she was about to wear her heels, Maddie barged in wearing one of her cocktail dresses (that looked like a _really_ long floor gown on the toddler) complete with jewelry and accessories. Andy was there, too, but he didn't seem as desperate to come like his twin. When she said that they couldn't come, Maddie started crying and saying that she wanted to drink wine with her mom. She was tempted to bring them along, but she really couldn't. Instead, she stayed a little bit longer to drink grape juice with them before going to the party and she knew that the twins were happy about it. "Maddie started crying when I said that she couldn't go, she kept saying that she wanted to drink wine with me. Now, each time she hears the word party, she associates it with wine; even if she doesn't know what it is."

Maddie blinked, processing what her mother said before smiling when she realized that they were going to an _actual_ party—with _wine._ "Dwink wine, too? Pah-tee mean wine! Maddie go to pah-tee!"

"The twins' vocabulary has really expanded," Penny noted, noticing the way Sheldon nodded proudly from his spot. "And yes, Maddie, you're going to go to a party, but you get to drink kiddie wine like last time, okay?"

Andy nodded then twisted his body to face the men, "Sedon go to pah-tee, too?"

"Sedon dwink wine!" Maddie chirped, "Sedon gonna wike wine! It deh-ishas!"

Sheldon frowned at the happy toddlers; their mother would never give them actual wine, and must have given them grape juice. How foolish. "No, I am not going to the party, as I have much better things to do." The happy expressions fell from the blondes' faces as if they were eggs dropped from the top of a building. "Though, I do wish all of you have a great time, and that your mother wins. And that none of you bother me."

Maddie furrowed her eyebrows up at the physicist—this simply could not do! This was the first (ever) party she was going to, and she wanted everyone to be there, as her mother could not. And when she says everyone, she means _everyone_. No exceptions. This was a big thing for her; she would see her Uncle Gregg and Aunt Bailey and all of the other nice adults from her mother's workplace, and she would get to drink wine! Andy wasn't as ecstatic as she was, but she knew that her brother would agree that Sheldon _had_ to be there. The three of them could drink wine together! She wished their mother could come as well, but she was far away, making a movie. Maybe she could save her some wine! Her Uncle Leonard had once said that their mother loved wine, so she was sure that she would get sad at not getting to drink wine with all them. Sometimes, she and Andy wished that they could all be together, instead of just talking from the tv. It would be much funner, and she missed their mother greatly.

She wasn't sure, but she thought that their mother would appreciate it if Sheldon went to the party with them. She had understand enough of the adults' conversation to know that this party was for their mother, and that it was for cheering her on for something. Their mother would be happy if Sheldon would cheer her on! While drinking wine! And they could wear nice clothes like dresses! While drinking wine! It would definitely be fun, and she didn't care if Andy did not agree with her—she had to get Sheldon to come along. Her Uncle Gregg and Aunt Bailey would love to meet him, she was sure about that. Then, once they have all become friends with each other, they could all hang out together! Like when their mother hadn't left, except with the addition of; Sheldon, Uncle Leonard, Uncle Raj, Uncle Howard and Aunt Bernadette. And maybe, Aunt Amy.

"Sedon hasta go to pah-tee! Sedon, Maddie and Andy dwink wine, too! At pah-tee." The toddler sent Sheldon a _look_; one that was demanding—not even a little bit considerate—ordering that he go to the party, whether he liked it or not. It made the three men all shudder in fear (Penny couldn't see it as Maddie's back was to her) and Sheldon narrowed his eyes at her. He had seen that look from the toddler many times before, and she had the nerve to do it to _him_, now. With a small, huff, he straightened his back and sent the girl the _exact_ same one she was sending him. He heard and ignored the gasp that Raj emitted, solely focusing on making the toddler's facade crumble. Suddenly, something moved from a spot that was no longer in his line of sight, and he found Andy in front of him. His tiny arms were folded in front of his chest; his eyebrows downcast, his light blue eyes (that were slowly turning green with each week that passed) sharp, and his mouth set in a grim line.

At that moment—he saw himself in the toddler, which made his eyes widen, and made his throat run dry. It was faint, but he saw a striking similarity in the way that he stood his ground. It wasn't much, but it was there, and he briefly wondered how much exactly he had rubbed off on the twins.

"Fine, I'll go," he sneered as the toddlers' cold front disappeared and was replaced by happy grins and cheering. Let this be the last time that he ever gets bested by them. "But do not expect me to exchange pleasantries with anyone, and I surely will not enjoy myself."

Maddie clapped her hands as she and her brother turned to face the tv, "mommy! Sedon go! Mommy happy?"

Penny chuckled softly at her children then at the grumpy theoretical physicist who was mumbling inaudible things to himself. Leave it to the twins to get Sheldon to do something he didn't want to do, like a dirty sock hidden where he would never find it. "Yeah, I'm happy. So, Raj, I'm going to send you pictures of what you guys can wear—and Sheldon, don't give me that look. I promise it won't be your definition of looking like a clown." Unlike before, she now considered the memory of suit shopping with Sheldon as one of her favorites. Even with how he glared at her at the mention of clothes shopping, she didn't find herself at all bothered. Things were going well, and she hoped that they'd someday look back and laugh about all of this.

* * *

Four men entered the restaurant, each carrying a different expression from the other as they stood in front of the podium.

The first man—who looked super foreign—wore a plain dark green sweater over a light gray shirt collared shirt and dark pants, looked the most optimistic of them all. The second man wore dark rimmed glasses, a striped blue button down shirt and grey pants along with a confused look that he directed to everyone as he scanned the vicinity. The third man, who was the shortest of them all, looked smug as he adjusted his purple and pink striped tie that sat atop a powder pink dress shirt which he matched with a surprisingly compatible brown woolen cardigan and dark slacks. The three of them looked okay (general term of the word) and even looked like they fit in with the various dressed guests that filled the restaurant who were roaming about to talk with anyone who was famous, which was most of them.

However, the person that stuck out the most was the tallest one of four. He looked like he absolutely _hated_ the fact that he was at the restaurant, with the way he frowned. It was like the only expression he knew was to frown. But that wasn't what made him stand out—it was his outfit. He was wearing a dark grey blazer over a pastel green dress shirt on top of tan colored slacks and what may be the ugliest tie the world had mistakenly ever seen. It was a dark purple color, with various colorful superheroes spread across the fabric that would give anyone who would see it a migraine. It was hideous, and was the only thing that screamed I-don't-belong-here, aside from that pessimistic frown on his youthful face. It was a shame, really, had he ditched the barf-worthy tie and the kill-me-now look, he was actually pretty cute.

With a huff, the irritable spectator marched over to the tall man and proceeded to yank off his tie.

Sheldon's eyes widened as the dark haired stranger started loosening his limited edition tie, causing him to secure his hold on Maddie as he bolted away from her. "Stop touching me!" He shrieked when the woman tugged on his tie again, "who are you?!" He extended a hand out to separate him and Maddie from the woman, and he saw dark green eyes slightly lifting to glare at him. He surveyed the appearance of the woman; she was about 5 feet and 9 inches tall, had jet black hair that made her even paler than she already was, and had a certain aura of evil surrounding her. She was to be in his list of people who were not to be trusted. "Don't make me call security."

The dark haired woman snorted, raising an eyebrow as she jabbed a pale finger on his tie. "That, must be the ugliest tie I have ever seen."

Howard sidled over to Leonard and whispered, "I told you it was an ugly tie." Leonard sighed, furtively glancing at the aforementioned tie, "we can't do anything, Sheldon already wore it. It's impossible to get it back from him." The three men nodded, recalling the memory of their shopping trip from the previous day. Penny had sent them the exact names of what each of them were supposed to wear, and they all tried to strictly follow what she told them. The only person unhappy with what she dictated was Sheldon who complained on how he would look like an act in a circus with what Penny wanted him to wear. Personally, they all thought that the picks Penny made were pretty snazzy, especially the outfit that she chose for Sheldon. Like always, Sheldon did not share the sentiment, and started to protest about him looking stupid as he exited the dressing room. Then as they were walking around the department store, Sheldon spotted the superhero tie at the teens section. It was either buy the hideous tie—though, the three men all secretly wanted one, too—or allow him to wear the equally as hideous plaid suit that he normally wore. They contacted Penny, and though she protested, they bought the tie, anyway.

Raj sighed softly, he had forgotten to drink some alcohol. Moving in between Howard and Leonard, he lowered his voice so that the dark haired stranger wouldn't hear him. "That's Bailey Mckenzie, she plays irritable badass Katie, the human that Jane—Penny's character—meets and eventually lives with, and they become best friends." Raj, unlike Howard and Leonard, actually watched _Halfway There_, and like the rest of the world, he loved the show with just one season. Not just cause he was friends with Penny, but because it was a really great show. Halfway There was about Jane (Penny's character) who died and was given a second chance at life, as long as she helps a list of people who the Heaven's commander accidentally encoded to go on the wrong path. If Jane corrects all of the mistakes successfully, she would return to the last ten seconds of her life and would be allowed to avoid the accident that killed her. Jane, who is dead-set on getting back to being alive, agrees and she is sent back to Earth and accidentally meets Katie (Bailey's character) who is a depressed, down on her luck woman that allows Jane to live with her.

Jane thinks that they met by accident, when really, she was destined to meet Katie had she lived from the accident. The show's running storyline was that everything happened for a reason, and the two girls' friendship was an example of that. The two of them were complete opposites; Jane, who is bubbly yet logical, was a successful lawyer with a perfect romantic life but never had any family, while Katie, who is irritable, serious and depressed, was an unsuccessful artist who always had trouble with love but had a loving family that was miles away. They immediately click, and become the best of friends. Then it is revealed (to the audience, but not the characters) that Jane's fiancé was actually only using her, and that her parents actually died protecting her from a car crash, while Katie's brother was actually the one blocking Katie from success by badmouthing her to art critics. Unbeknownst to both of them, they were chosen as their traits complemented each other, and that they would be great as partners in trying to help the other lost souls. Each episode started with the future that Penny had to change, then the present, the past that made the episodic character do something bad, then how Penny and her friends helps the character and then the future that Penny changes. "She's actually Penny's best friend in real life, and you'll usually see her, Penny and Gregg Wilkes together."

Leonard turned to the astrophysicist, keeping the level of his voice down. "Who's Gregg Wilkes?" Raj's dark eyes scanned the restaurant, trying to look for the actor. "He's also a lead in the show, and plays the silent yet critical half-angel observer, Charlie, who has to keep tabs on Penny's character and on Bailey's character who got dragged into the mess. They're a great trio, and seeing the chemistry they have, I'm okay with Charlie ending with either of them." Charlie (Gregg's character) was a half human-slash-half angel who was tasked to observe the angels in training as he was not allowed to be an actual angel. After the mistake that happens up in the Heaven command room, he is sent to Earth to help Jane fix the mistakes. Charlie's character usually is the one opposing both girls with his critical, condescending and snarky ways—which reminded him a lot of Sheldon—whenever Jane did something wrong, or whenever Katie had ideas on how to help the next person. But really, Charlie was only like that because he is torn between whether or not he is an angel or a human, which was why he is usually rude to the two, and his general dislike for humans. But somewhere around the sixth episode, he starts to soften up to the girls and slowly sees that humans are okay. All three characters had great chemistry with each other, which was probably why they became close friends. "But, in real life I want Gregg and Bailey to end up together, because Charlie and Katie are the best—Jane and Charlie are okay, but I think Jane will meet someone else—but Gregg's gay, which is such a shame cause he has great bone structure and is a really heartbreakingly handsome dude." Instinctively, both Howard and Leonard stepped away from Raj, and moved towards Bailey, Sheldon and the twins.

"Aun-teh Bay-wee!" Andy chirped from behind Sheldon, toddling over to the tall dark haired lady. He was wearing the discussed outfit; a grey blazer over a cream colored shirt over a pair of navy blue shorts. "Dis Andy!

Bailey tore her menacing gaze from the dastardly tie and shifted it towards the blonde toddler sitting comfortably on the tie-wearer's arm, then to the other one who was waving happily at her. She had been so stupid to focus her attention on that stupid tie, and had forgotten all about the only children she could tolerate! Taking a step back; she roughly yanked the tie from the man's neck, effectively removing it from his outfit before tossing it into the nearby trash bin. God, that stupid thing had been getting on her nerves ever since she laid eyes on it. Now, that it was gone, she could feel herself relax as she took in the features of the man in front of her. He now looked more grown up, and was actually okay. Lifting the scowl on her face, she smiled at her favorite infants. "Maddie, Andy, it's been so long since I've last seen you!" She crouched down slightly, lifting Andy to her hip. "Andy you've grown so much! You're heavier, taller and you're looking more and more like your mother!"

"Wat abaht Maddie?" The blonde toddler asked from Sheldon's arm. She was wearing a green sailor dress that matched perfectly with the color of that man carried her's shirt. "No happy to see Maddie?"

The dark haired actress smiled softly at the blonde toddler. Oh, how she loved these two kids! She normally didn't like children of any age (at all) but when it came to these two, her heart melted like butter. When she first met them on set, she had thought that she wouldn't warm up to them. She was a hundred and twenty percent wrong. Barely a month of the show later, she rivaled Gregg with how much she spoiled them. When she didn't have a scene—which was rare—she would be at the makeshift daycare that the crew made that was right next to the main set which was her character's living room. Only Penny and Gregg knew that she enjoyed playing with the toddlers, and it was the greatest stress ball she had. What her best friends didn't know, was that she also taught them whatever dramatic scenes that they were going to do for the week. Once the twins picked up the lines, she would film them doing the lines, then she would get them on tape and forever treasure how great she is as a teacher. Just don't tell Penny or Gregg that.

"I'm especially happy to see you Maddie," she leaned over to plant a kiss on Maddie's cheek, ignoring the glare that the tall man sent him as she stepped closer to him, "I'm happy to see both of you. The last time I saw the two of you was when your mom was still in California." She stepped back, adjusting Andy on her arm before searching for her best friend, finding him talking to one of the staff. "Gregory! Hey, Gregory! Penny's friends are here!"

There was something about Bailey Mckenzie that Gregg Wilkes never understood. Why was it that such an irritable, rude, bad tempered woman somehow manage to yell like a wanted person getting chased down by the police yet talk like some fictional woman plucked out from eighteenth century set movies on most days? Running a hand through his silky light brown hair and brushing it upwards, he said goodbye to the second unit director before spinning on his heel and striding towards his dark haired co-star. There on his best friend's arm was Penny's cute little son, and behind her, were four men and Penny's cute little daughter. They must be the friends that the blonde was talking about when she called in to say hello. He had to admit, he was expecting different looking people—not in the bad way—than the ones standing in front of him. He had seen all of them before, in pictures Penny had in her dressing room, but seeing them all dressed up made them look like entirely different people. Especially, the tallest one who was carrying Maddie. Based on what Penny said about each of them, this one had to be Sheldon. And Penny told them _a lot_ about him. "Hi, I'm Gregg Wilkes, Penny's co-star. You must be Penny's old friends, am I right?"

Leonard tilted his head to look up at the tall, debonair-looking man who had great styled light brown hair, dazzling hazel eyes and a charming smile. Raj was right, he really _was_ heartbreakingly handsome, and he meant that in a heterosexual way of looking at him. "Um, I'm Leonard Hofstadter, this is Raj Koothrappali and Howard Wolowitz, and that's Sheldon Cooper. We're Penny's friends."

Sheldon clucked his tongue at his roommate, "it's _Doctor_ Sheldon Cooper." His eyes shifted towards the dark haired woman, "you've already harassed me yet I still do not have a name to put down on the information sheet of the complaint I am going to file against you." The tall man dramatically gasped turning to his friend and lightly smacking the back of his hand against her arm. "Bailey! You are ever so rude, you didn't introduce yourself to Penny's friends!"

The dark haired witch—Sheldon's opinion—huffed, readjusting Andy on her hip. "I don't need to introduce myself to those who have horrible tastes." She pointed a slender finger at the trash can, making the four men (minus Sheldon) follow the direction of her finger. "Gregg, do you see that ugly thing poking out of the trash can? That was the tie he was wearing." Gregg shuddered at the sight of the said garment. "Had I not been so kind as to take it from him and dispose of it properly, he would have looked like an idiot." With a small smirk she turned to Sheldon who was glaring at her, "and my name is Bailey Mckenzie. I'm Penny's actress friend that can see ugly clothing from a mile away. The next time you wear something as hideous as that, I'm charging you for my fashion services."

"It's not ugly!" Sheldon hissed, glancing at his now dirty tie then back at the infuriating woman. "That is a limited edition DC superheroes tie that you cannot find anywhere!"

"You can find it in that trash can," Bailey sneered, causing the physicist to get even angrier. "There isn't anything more limited edition than a uglier than crap tie that belongs in the trash that currently resides in actual trash." She gave Sheldon a wide smile, "go on, I dare you to get it from that trash full of god-knows-what and place it back on your body. Do it, and I'll even allow you to lacerate my soul with it."

Sheldon peered down at her with as much venom as he could, "I don't like you."

"On the contrary, I think we'll get along fine," Bailey remarked, winking up at him.

Gregg, having had enough of Bailey teasing Penny's genius friend, placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Okay, I think that's enough teasing, Bailes," he said, sighing as the dark haired actress turned to him. "Why don't we first allow them inside the actual party before you go and start teasing Dr. Genius over there." If he didn't interrupt Bailey, it was possible for a bloodbath to occur, if what Penny said was true. Well, there would only be a bloodbath if the said genius really could blow up minds, but as that was impossible, it would just be Bailey being downright rude. Bailey always had a knack for being snarky, and Sheldon was just a target waiting to get shot. Instead of a fun night supporting Penny and her possible win with her friends from before she was famous, their night would turn sordid, where Bailey would pick on all four men while somehow managing to teach the twins their new scripts. To put it simply, it would be a nightmare. "Look! There's shrimp cocktails, and pudding! The twins love pudding!"

"You like pudding?" Sheldon asked, raising an eyebrow at the toddler on his arm.

Maddie nodded, "Maddie wike choc-et wike Andy, but Andy wike van-iwah mostest."

Andy gasped from Bailey's arms, "Andy wike choc-et, too!"

"Maddie say dat!" The blonde toddler sent her twin an annoyed look before turning back to Sheldon. "Eat pudding, peas?"

"Only after you eat dinner," Sheldon mirrored the frown on both of the twins' faces, and was roughly bumped on the shoulder by Bailey. "Oh hush, they can eat all the pudding they want!" She handed Andy to Gregg before grabbing Maddie from Sheldon, "I'll watch over them, so you can just go and be boring somewhere else." She gave him a mocking grin then pulled Gregg into the restaurant, leaving the three men confused at what happened, and Sheldon even more annoyed with the actress.

"She's hot," commented Howard.

"I need a drink," added Raj.

"I definitely _do not_ like her," snarled Sheldon as they followed after Penny's friends. "She reminds me of Missy. I don't like that."

Leonard chuckled, lightly patting Sheldon's shoulder as he walked beside him. "Get used to her, cause the party hasn't even started yet."

* * *

"So," Gregg drawled as he and Bailey approached the lonesome man who appeared to hate his surroundings, "you're a physicist, huh?"

Sheldon scowled at the two intruders who were adding to his headache from the blaring music. The other three and the twins had flocked towards the buffet where Raj grew fascinated with the gigantic shrimp that they were serving. He, too, liked the rare sized shrimp, but not to the extent that it was the only dish he ate like what his friends were doing. Instead of standing uncomfortably in front of a long buffet table, hogging all of the seafood, he chose to separate himself from his friends and envelop the momentary peace that he would get by sitting alone at the table. He somewhat wished that they leave the twins with him—as he was sure that they were spoiling them with any food they pointed at—but he was glad for the alone time. It allowed him to measure the size of shrimp and decide which order he'd eat them without Leonard telling him to 'cut it out.'

Which proved to be wrong, as now it was Penny's acting friends who were bothering him.

"I am a theoretical physicist, yes, that is correct." He snidely answered, placing the largest shrimp down on his plate. "Might I ask, what is your business talking to me? I do not find any possible topics we could discuss."

Bailey raised an eyebrow while Gregg had a small grin as they took seats in front of him. "We want to get to know all of you, and we decided to start with you," Gregg nodded his head at Bailey who carelessly shrugged. "Yeah, what Sparkly said. We both agreed that you were probably the most interesting amongst the four of you, so congratulations." Bailey reached over to his plate, snatching a piece of shrimp and tossing it into her mouth like it was popcorn. "You're the cooler of the ice packs. You should feel flattered; it's not everyday that I deem someone interesting."

Sheldon threw her a look of irritation before pushing his plate full of shrimp towards the annoying woman. With her touching the shrimp, the chances of the others getting her germs heightened. How Penny managed to tolerate this woman, he didn't know. And he didn't want to know. "Yes, the flattery is implied. I don't understand why the two of you really chose to bother me, but based on what I observed about _her_, she enjoys sadism. And it is not hard to see that I do not want to be here, nor want to talk to her." He watched the dark haired wench smirk triumphantly before eating the shrimps that used to be his. "So, what sort of banal chit chat shall we engage in, friends of Penny?"

Gregg held back a sigh; Sheldon was definitely how Penny described him to be. He was a bit arrogant, cocky, condescending, selfish, short tempered, and was kind of rude, but compared to Bailey, he was a piece of cake to get along with. Penny told them many stories about the beautiful minded genius; good and bad ones, and a few... secrets that she only shared with him and Bailey. Based on the vivid descriptions Penny gave them about him, he kind of felt as if he knew the man as much as Penny did. He was turning out to be everything that Penny said he would be, and it was great to finally meet him in person. Like a favorite character straight out of a book coming back to life. He and Bailey never told Penny, but out of the four men she always talked about, Sheldon was their favorite. Bailey didn't show it much, but when Penny told them that they would finally meet the infamous geniuses, she grew excited and was secretly happy to finally be able to meet Sheldon.

In the short year and half that they'd known Penny, they'd heard _everything_ there was to know about her story. From how she grew up in a farm to the day that she left Pasadena, and up to went to France for her film. Penny had the most colorful story they had ever heard, and at first, they had both thought that she was making everything up. But when she showed the pictures (and a few silly videos of Sheldon) they realized that she had not been lying and that all of her stories were true. Penny often told them about Sheldon; his crazy antics, his odd persona, the memories they shared, and it was obvious that the blonde greatly missed the man. Mainly because she still went out to meet with the other three guys, and never had a chance to meet with this one. The two of them never questioned the relationship between the blonde and the man from her past, as the both knew what happened between them that was kept as a secret locked a million times over. She only told them about the incident _once_, and they never talked about it again.

So, when Penny told them that she was going to meet with him again after two years, they each held back a sob. They were never sure if there was anything romantic between the two former friends, but they knew that they were great friends. Episode number eleven was about two best friends that got separated due to a fight, and the girl died when they were about to meet again. They never told Penny, but they both saw her cry when she watched the guest actors do the future scene where the living best friend came to the funeral and regretted fighting with her. Bailey theorized that the storyline for the episode might have reminded Penny of her and Sheldon's seemingly irreparable relationship that grew more and more tainted over the years. She did perk up when the writers revealed the final scene of the episode where the girl didn't die, and somehow, she and the best friend met each other again and forgave each other. Even Bailey spared a few tears at the scene while Penny tried to hold back hers. The episode probably gave Penny (and them) hope that she would one day mend her friendship with Sheldon, and that chance came when she went to France.

Since Sheldon was here, at the party for Penny—it meant that they somehow fixed their friendship. They almost cried at that; which was why their entire focus was to personally befriend Sheldon, and pry out his side of the story from him. Cause they loved gossip, and meddling in Penny's personal life. The other three scientists could wait.

"Well, why don't you tell us something about yourself, then we'll go," Gregg suggested, glancing at Bailey for approval then turning back to the solemn looking man.

A pair of sharp blue eyes narrowed and Gregg cleared his throat. "Alright, I'll go first! I'm Gregg Wilkes—you already knew that—thirty years old, and I work alongside Penny and Bailey in Halfway There. We all met when they screened the three of us to run lines together before the show started," he raised a brow in thought, "which was about a year and a half ago. Hmm... personal information, I have a boyfriend, he owns this fine establishment and we've been together for five years, now." He turned to the dark haired woman who was frowning, "that's all I got. It's your turn, Bailey."

Bailey wrinkled her eyebrows; obviously unhappy with the baton passing. "I don't really see the need of this, but since Sparkly says so, I'll ride along." Her mouth moved to the side before changing into a deep frown. "The name's Bailey Mckenzie, twenty-four years old and based on what Sparkly said, you should know my job. I've never taken a relationship seriously—practically all flings—and I really have no plans on having one," she paused, raking her eyes across the physicist's facial features. "Maybe, if you pack on twenty pounds of muscle, I guess I could give you a shot. Penny might not like that, though."

She sent the physicist one of her famous vexing smirks that caused Sheldon to scowl, and Gregg to sigh. It wasn't that she was flirting with him, she just loved messing with everyone. The physicist wasn't much of her type, but he would be okay—though, Penny would flip a table if she ever found out that she had even considered Sheldon as cute. Had he not worn and defended that disgustingly hideous tie (and if he wasn't the person who he was) she really might consider flirting with him. Sadly, Gregg would tell her that the two if them were too much alike that they would be the dullest couple in the world, and that Penny wouldn't be happy. The latter was the one she agreed with; Penny often showed her disapproval of her way of treating men—she never really had a serious relationship—and would only allow that idea if she actually wanted to do things the right way. Which, she did not, and so she'll just settle with annoying him like an older sister does to her little brother. Though, she was positively sure that the physicist was a lot older than her.

But really, even with the way he was glaring at her as if she was Germany and he was the occupied Poland, he seemed like an okay person. In fact, looking at him was like looking at a mirror; they were both tall, had dark hair and light colored (hers was a darker shade of green, but it still counted as light) eyes, were cunning and brilliant in their own ways. And if there was a topic she found more interesting than herself (narcissism) it was people who were similar to herself. Which was funny as she was already interested in meeting the infamous whack-a-doodle that Penny always talked about, and seeing that they were totally alike, made her interested in befriending him even more! She would never tell either Penny or Gregg this, but she really wanted Sheldon and Penny to be friends again. The stories she told about him really interested her, and she always loved the Sheldon stories like a kid liked bedtime ones. She always found it amazing how the character in the blonde's other stories always seemed robotic and insouciant, but once you heard the ones that centered around him and the blonde, you'd see that he wasn't as stoic as he seemed. Which was why she looked forward to meeting him the most. She really wanted to see if everything that Penny said was real, and so far, it was safe to say that she was going to like the quirky physicist.

"Other than that, there really isn't anything important left to say to you," she cooly said before putting another shrimp in her mouth. She never told Gregg (she actually never tells anyone anything) but she loved the food served here. "I've practically told you more than I've ever told anyone that isn't Penny or Gregg, so spill, Mr. Smart."

Sheldon's scowl was so deep that Gregg swore that his eyebrows were touching. He absolutely _did not_ like this woman. Not only did he remind him of Missy—except a bit more atrociously snarky—but she also had the nerve to mock him! Gregg, he found oddly charming and comely, but he definitely could not say the same about her. Maybe, just maybe, he could shape her into a more likable person via positive reinforcement such as giving chocolates. He'd have to check back on that one. "I am not really required to respond to this, but as I am sensing that this is partly social protocol, I shall comply." He sent the dark haired woman another hateful look before taking a deep breath. "I am currently a theoretical physicist at Caltech, and am thirty-one years old. Penny used to live in the apartment in front of us, and that's how I became associated with her. I also detest romance, romantic relationships and anything concerning it and still question humanity's need of finding love. You should also remember my name as I will soon win the Nobel, but other than that, I do not see any other information that I should share with the two of you."

"Based on that penultimate statement, Bailey, I gotta say—it's like talking to a male version of you." Gregg remarked, slightly shuddering at the similarities (aside from the physical attributes) between the physicist and his best friend. I.e.; narcissism, general hate for humankind, general hate for the notion of love, condescension, arrogance, insouciance and pessimism. He always flinched at the idea of two Baileys, but it wasn't just an idea, as it has been proven to be real. Bailey and Sheldon were like long lost twins—it was scary and hilarious at the same time. That must have been why Penny had an instant liking to Bailey (who hates _everyone_), as she reminded her greatly of Sheldon. "But, really, it's nice to finally meet you Sheldon."

Bailey nodded in agreement, "true. It's impossible to not find you interesting when all of Penny's stories were about you."

"Penny talks about me?" The two actors nodded. "Favorably?"

"Some were good, some were bad," Gregg answered, pushing the stray strands of hair upwards. He hated it when even a strand of hair was out of place. "But don't worry, the bad ones were hilarious, and the good ones were just downright interesting."

"I am not sure what exactly those were, but I have no intention of knowing." Sheldon hissed, crossing his arms to match his frown. "Penny enjoys the hobby of gossiping; it doesn't surprise me that she would do so with my life, as I am so interesting."

Gregg raised an amused eyebrow, leaning towards Bailey, "are you sure that you're not twins separated at birth?" The dark haired woman smirked at her friend then to her supposed long lost sibling. "Maybe, if twins could have a seven year age gap. So, Sheldon, I heard you and Penny parted on bad terms. Are you two okay, now? Cause I gotta admit, I'm really curious to find out. The two of you sounded like the best of friends right before she disappeared without even a measly goodbye."

"Penny and I have resumed our friendship," the physicist stoically answered, that emitted a soft shrill from Gregg, and caused Bailey to slam her man hands onto the table in shock. They were too overdramatic. "I am not sure as to why your reactions are so exaggerated, but the statement still stands. We are friends, and I have already forgiven her for her disappearance. And as you can see—or heard from Penny—I have even allowed her progeny to temporarily reside at my humble abode." Sheldon watched as Bailey sent a look to Gregg, which he somehow understood and responded with a look of his own. They had their own secret language that only involved the eyebrows and the eyes. He might consider creating one of his own that he could teach Leonard that they could use shall they ever be kidnapped by the secret service. Fascinating.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to ask about that," Bailey piped in, with uncharacteristic perkiness, "what do you think about _Penny's_ progeny?" Gregg enthusiastically nodded, flashing him a toothy smile. "You know, Andy and Maddie; blonde, blue eyed, smart and might be the cutest children on the face of the planet?"

"They are satisfactory," he absentmindedly mused, his former frown faltering into a thoughtful look. "They remind me of Penny, yet they are nothing like her. They're also making huge progress in development and I am proud to say that I was a big factor in that." He smirked as he scanned through all of the great things that he had done for the twins, and all in just one month. Their vocabulary was certainly vastly expanding, they no longer relied on a bottle to quench their thirst—and now had a better appreciation of one of the greatest fictional works of all time; Star Wars. Just the other day, Maddie was babbling on and on about how she wanted to meet Darth Vader (or Dat Bedah) and Andy was showing great interest in Luke Skywalker. He was incredibly proud that even at such a young age, they were able to see why Star Wars was so great. His future progeny would probably grow up in the newer Star Wars generation, and so he would instead treasure the time time that the only Star Wars he could show learning minds were the original series of movies and a couple of Lego movies. Times were changing pretty quickly. "Other than that, I have nothing else to tell you."

"You really love talking to us, huh?" Bailey quipped, finishing off the final shrimp.

"I detect that that is sarcasm," the physicist stated, his eyes shifting to the actress, "and if it is not, the only thing I can tell you is that I really do not like you." With a huff, he stood and adjusted his blazer. "I'm afraid you must excuse me, as I must get a newer plate of food." He sent them a small nod before turning and walking over to the buffet table where his friends were.

Bailey grinned as she turned back to her best friend, "I like him! He definitely lives up to expectations, doesn't he?"

Gregg chuckled, sensing that the actress wasn't lying. "True. Well, we can catch up with him, later. I have a strong feeling that we'll be seeing him again." He glanced over his shoulder and saw that the screen was now showing the start of the Emmys. "We better entertain the rest of the people—the show is starting." He stood from his seat, helping his friend stand up before offering his arm to her. "Shall we cross our fingers that blondie wins?"

The dark haired actress let out a small, amused laugh as she linked arms with him. "We both know that she doesn't need luck." They smiled at each before laughing all the way to the crowd.

* * *

"Dude, there are like," Raj took a bite of shrimp, then took a sip of his mimosa, "so many famous people! You see that guy? I forgot his name, but he's the best friend in Transformers!"

Howard craned his neck backwards, looking for the said person. "I don't even think that guy's a celebrity, Raj." He scanned the room again and saw Sheldon making his way towards them. "Look, someone finally decided to join the party."

Leonard took a sip from his drink before turning to greet his roommate. "Hey, buddy! Glad to see you finally joining us! Was it lonely being all alone at the table?"

Sheldon quirked an eyebrow, taking a plate from the stack. "No, it was not. I was enjoying my moment of solitude when Penny's friends decided to interrupt me."

"I don't see why you're mad, I'd be ecstatic if Bailey interrupts me—hey!" Howard glared at Raj who was looking away, munching on a danish while pretending that he didn't hit him. "I said _I'd_ past tense! I have a fiancee, okay? But that doesn't mean that I can't appreciate a hot lady—hey!" He this time turned to Leonard (who smacked him on the arm) and frowned, "I wasn't planning on doing anything! I'm just saying that Sheldon should be glad that a woman as pretty—but not as pretty as Bernadette, yet ten feet taller—is even paying attention to him! Well, unless Gregg's his type, then I seriously cannot relate."

The physicist sent a withering glare that made Howard rethink his life choices. Sheldon was obviously _not_ in the mood for fun and games. "If you are, again, hinting at my sexual preference, I will not hesitate to make the laser in your laboratory malfunction and somehow get redirected to you." The three men winced, hoping that the one accident he needed was still lightyears away from where they were standing. "I am also ignoring your lewd comments about—who may be—the most annoying woman on the face of the earth, but shall you bring it up again in my presence I shall make sure that Bernadette will hear of all of your past exploits. Now, to clarify my statement, I am mad as they badgered me with nonsensical questions when I could have been pondering the questions that have yet to be answered."

"Like who let the dogs out?" Raj curiously asked, taking another sip of his mimosa.

"No," Sheldon snarled, placing his plate on the table and stepping back to look around. "Where are the twins?" The three men all looked at each other, "weren't they with you?"

Sheldon frowned at all three men; how could they possibly lose track of the twins?!

"The shrimp was just so... big and you know that I can't _always_ have shrimp."

"I was trying to look for something that wasn't shrimp and dint have dairy... pretty much everything has milk."

"I was looking for chicks that might give Raj a second glance—hey! I have a fiancee and my intentions are pure! Geez, Raj!"

Sheldon sucked on his teeth, making sure that his death glare was able to pierce into the deepest core of their soul, so that they will never think of angering him again. "Drop your food and _look for them_," he hissed, glancing around the room again for any chance that he would be able to easily spot the toddlers. "I will not allow them to catch any foreign germs that they will carry to our apartment. Shall they do that, you will _all_ suffer." The three nodded, and they all scrambled around the restaurant. Why he even thought of leaving the twins with these three incompetent fools, he'll never know. It was always up to him to correct their mistakes. What if the twins were recognized by an shady person that wants to harm Penny in some way and decides to kidnap them? Like a stalker? What would they tell the already paranoid mother before she decides to tear them limb by limb only to be fed to a community of cannibals that are hungry and haven't thought of eating each other? Though the scientific community would notice the loss of the other three, he would surely be grieved over for forty days and forty nights as they have lost the one person who could make a significant breakthrough that everyone had been long waiting for!

He moved from the private section of the establishment and went towards the bar, where several people were foolishly mingling. The restaurant was jam packed, and two toddlers of three feet were impossible to find merely by spotting their heads with the way people kept moving. He suddenly thought of how the twins could possibly be suffocating because of the overpopulation of the area and quickly maneuvered through the crowd to find them. He was lucky that he was taller than the average person, or else he wouldn't have come to the conclusion that the toddlers weren't there by scanning through the crowd and sorting them via height and hair color. With a relieved sigh, he moved over to the open garden area that overlooked the city. It was also part of the restaurant where many people were eating at. He had to hand it to Gregg's paramour, the establishment was one of a kind. He had never seen a restaurant that had so many choices of dining that it made his head spin. There was the garden area, the bar, the private rooms, and one more place he hadn't went to, yet. Plus, it was very well kept and wasn't as bad as he thought.

Shaking the observations of the restaurant from his head, he walked through the garden area, ignoring the looks that the diners were giving him. He didn't care if looked lost with the way he kept turning his head to find the twins. He had a feeling that they were here; the area was a gigantic garden that had a slightly elevated patio deck where the people ate. Knowing the twins, they'd love any chance of running and playing on the grass. That was why they were always at the park; because the twins didn't like being cramped up in one building where they couldn't play. They were too energetic for their own good. He pursed his lips as he walked down the four steps from the deck to the garden, slightly frowning as the sole of his shoes met with the grass. It was hard to concentrate when there was smidgens of dirt on the tip of his shoes, especially when the classical music was blaring, and was intercepting with his Vulcan hearing. He had heard the sound of young laughter when he exited the main building, and it was what told him that the twins were there.

He kept walking—the garden was even bigger than the deck—frantically turning his head to see any signs of the twins. But it was when the current song stopped, allowing a moment of silence before the next song played, that he heard sniffling coming from a part that was surrounded by bushes.

"Andy, Maddie," he stated as he stood behind the shrubbery, spotting the twins. Maddie was hopping from one foot to the other (a mannerism she did whenever she was nervous and didn't know what to do) while Andy was on the grass, softly crying. "What are you doing here?" Maddie looked up at him with wide blue eyes that were close to tears, and he glanced at the leg that Andy was clutching. There was a small wound on his knee that had started to bleed. It didn't look serious, and he was secretly glad. This was why he was against the shorts thing that Raj kept prodding when he was deciding on what the twins should wear. Had Andy worn pants—like what a normal person would wear—the fabric would have lessen the blow of whatever cut Andy's knee and would possibly be just a harmless scrape.

Sheldon pushed his pants up to his knees to avoid getting it dirty before crouching down to inspect Andy's wound. "What happened to your brother?"

Maddie trotted over to him, worry evident on her cherubic face. "Andy wun, Maddie wun, too! But Andy twip and got booboo!" She pointed a finger towards the wound then started to flail her arms in panic. "Andy was cuh-wying and Maddie scawed!"

Andy sniffed, his lips still trembling as he looked down at his knee. "Dat owie."

Sighing, Sheldon lifted the crying toddler and grabbed Maddie's hand before leading them to the edge of the patio deck. He placed Andy on it and reached for the keychain disinfectant spray that he clipped at one of the belt holes. He should have brought some iodine, too. He had a hunch that something like this would happen, and he was glad that he was prepared. Pfft. He was always prepared. "That part of your body is called _knee_, and you have scraped it." The toddlers easily repeated the word, and he continued. "There is a possibility that bacteria might be on the wound, therefore I must disinfect it. Breathe in, as this may sting." Andy nodded—having gone through this before when they were at the park—closing his eyes tightly as Sheldon wiped off the light dirt that surrounded the tiny wound with his handkerchief. It wasn't really meant for cleaning dirt, but he did not trust the staff to give him sterile napkins, so he'd have to make the tiny sacrifice for now. He inspected the wound and saw that it wasn't deep enough to scar—which was a relief as the blame might be directed towards him.

Andy made a light hissing sound when he sprayed the wound, and he somewhat felt bad for causing him pain. Once the liquid had settled down, Sheldon frowned at the wound. It really wasn't big, but it was still possible for it to get infected by bacteria—he had to seal it. But he didn't have any bandaids other than the ones in his pocket. Which were for _his_ personal use. And it didn't look like there was a pharmacy section or a convenience kiosk in this establishment, which meant that there was no one who had bandaids with them. He really should have brought the baby bag that he always brought along when they took the twins somewhere. If only he hadn't allowed Raj to persuade him into not bringing it; if he didn't listen, then he wouldn't have a problem right now. He slipped his hand into his pocket and slightly pulled the three pieces of bandaids that had little rocket ships on it.

Those were _his_ bandaids to be used for _his_ wounds.

But... Andy's wound needed a bandaid, and he would be an irresponsible temporary de-facto guardian if he didn't attend to this dire situation. The more time he pondered, the more bacteria would try to get to his wound!

Mustering up all the self-restraint he could from changing his mind; Sheldon fully pulled a bandaid from his packet and quickly peeled off the adhesive covers. He let out a sharp inhale as he saw the adhesive part of the bandaid and momentarily thought of various scenarios of how he would need all three bandaids before quickly shaking it off. This was the real sacrifice he had to make and he backed it up with the thought of what he'd do if some kind of bacteria infected Andy and got him sick. He didn't want that to happen—at all—which was why it didn't feel as bad when he finally placed the bandaid on top of the wound. God forbid he trip three times and be in need of one extra bandaid.

"There," he uneasily said, tapping the toddler's knee lightly before standing up. "Now, you're all good to go."

Andy stared at the bandaid with awe, gingerly poking it before tilting his head back to stare at the tall man. "Dat Sedon's band-ed," he said as if it was the most obvious statement in the world, which Maddie nodded to in agreement. "It okay?"

Sheldon sighed, placing his large hand on top of the toddler's head, ruffling the mop of blonde hair. He briefly remembered how when the twins first arrived to live with them, Andy's hair was short and thin; now, his hair was thick, reaching up to his shoulder, with the tips slightly curled. Maddie's hair had grown as well, but not as much as Andy's had. To Sheldon, it didn't really seem like they had been lodging with them for almost two months—it was like they had just arrived with the way time flew by. But it also felt like he'd known the twins since before they were born, and for some reason, he felt sad about it. "Of course it's okay. I'd rather you take one of my bandaids than your wound getting infected and in the end results to gangrene, and your leg getting amputated."

Andy face twisted as he tried to comprehend what the adult said, "ampu-tatid?" Then turned to Maddie who had the same look of confusion on her face, "gan-geen?"

"There's an _R_ in gangrene," corrected Sheldon as he lifted Andy and propped him on the deck. "Are you okay, now?"

"Andy miss mommy," the toddler murmured, his head tilting down slightly. "Maddie miss mommy, too, but no say."

Sheldon turned to Maddie, who had a sad loon on her face. It made his heart clench. "Maddie miss mommy, too. Mommy gone foh a wong time, now."

It wasn't strong, but Sheldon felt his heart sinking as the toddlers sniffled. They missed their mother, and for once, he understood their sentiments. He remembered how he was all alone in Germany when he was still young. He didn't know anyone there, and his mother couldn't stay long as she had to attend to his other siblings that weren't as academically gifted as him. Honestly, he somewhat envied the twins in their condition. Although their mother—and possibly, father—was not with them, they still had the luxury of having each other, and had him and the others to accompany them. He had no one other than his co-teachers that treated him with disdain, and the students who questioned his credibility due to his age and often acted in defiance to him. It wasn't lonely, but he was upset most of the time, and the twins might be feeling that, too—they just didn't recognize it due to their youth. However, the circumstances were different with the twins as he was at least sixteen, and the twins are barely two years old.

According to some articles he read, children of that age direly needed to be in the presence of at least one parent. They had none, since Leonard really was not their father, and it was impressive that they were holding up thus far. It was said that children of their age who do not experience the love of a parent often affects them up until adulthood, and had a chance of pushing them towards rebellion. Like getting pregnant early, or doing drugs or becoming a painter. He wouldn't want that to happen. He didn't want to meet the two of them one day and Maddie would have six kids at twenty while Andy would be a drug addict who is constantly in and out of rehab. He wished he had someone who would do what he was about to do next when he was sad and alone in Germany. He wasn't going to allow the twins to spiral down into nothingness while he was around. And he definitely wasn't going to allow them to feel the sadness he felt when he was in Deutschland.

Placing a hand on a each of the twins' shoulder, he crouched down to meet both of their gazes. Even with the curious looks on their faces, he could see their sadness and longing for their mother in their eyes. "I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say that would make you feel better, but I know how you feel. When I was about fifteen times your age, I went to Germany as a visiting professor. I, too, was not with my mother and I found it very difficult to function without her. What I am trying to say, is that you shouldn't feel too lonely, as I know that she is missing you as much as you miss her." Two pairs of blue eyes lit up. "And I assure you, she will return soon, and you will be reunited with her before you even know. Your mother loves you dearly, and it was not easy for her to leave you with us. But, she probably took the job for you—and slightly for her career—and the wait will be worth it in the end. So, please cheer up, as I am not good with these kind of things." He gave them a small smile before straightening his posture, "I'd offer you a hot beverage, but the restaurant we're eating at is on the other side."

Suddenly, two pairs of arms were spreading out to him, and it was Maddie who spoke. "Hug?"

Sheldon's eyes widened at the two toddlers who were expecting him to engage in physical contact with them. He didn't want to, but he supposed that it was appropriate.

With a small sigh, he bent down and hugged them.

And for some odd reason, he felt an overwhelming sense of warmth as his gangly arms encircled their tiny bodies. It was similar to the one he felt whenever he looked at their photo shoot—except it was stronger. It was warm, comforting and familiar, and it made him want to cry. There was just an overflowing amount of emotion that was flooding through his body, and it only made him tighten his hold on the toddlers. They made him feel like he was home, like his mother or his Meemaw was giving him a hug. He could swear that he was on the verge of tears, and he did all he could to hold them back. The warmth of the hug was making his hands clammy, and his heart race, and all he could do was wonder _why_ he was feeling that way. It was so powerful—much more than when Maddie slept beside him, or whenever he looked at the pictures. He always carried Maddie, and often did, too, with Andy, but he never felt this way before. It was enveloping him, and if he didn't stop, this would bring up questions he wasn't sure if he had answers to.

So, he hastily pulled away and matched the twins' happy grins with a weak one.

"Let's return to the party," he said as he lifted Maddie while trying to regain his composure, "we might be missing your mother's possible win, and I wouldn't want that to happen." Andy took his hand and they casually walked through the curious diners who were watching their every move.

"Which reminds me, what is your position on your mother marrying Leonard?"

Maddie looked up at him with curiosity, "mommy mah-wee Uncah Wenad?"

The physicist nodded as they re-entered the restaurant, turning left at a hallway to avoid entering the bar. "Yes, exactly. Will you be happy about it?"

Andy craned his head back, "why mommy mah-wee Uncah Wenad?"

Maddie shrugged from Sheldon's arm, peering down at his twin. "Dunno."

Then Andy said something Sheldon didn't think he'd hear, "wat abaht daddy?"

"You have a father?" He asked with slight incredulity—ignoring how he sounded so stupid with that question—and was met by the twins' laughter.

"Sheldon, there you are!" Gregg called, brisk walking towards him. "I've been looking for you everywhere! Come on, the Emmys is close to announcing Penny's category!" The flamboyant man then grabbed Andy, then proceeded to grab his arm and dragged him back to the private room.

* * *

"So," Raj started, confidently walking up to Bailey. He had drank two glasses of mimosas, now, and he was ready to talk to some famous women. Starting with the gorgeous dark haired, green eyed, alabaster skinned and two inches taller (six if you included the heels) beauty that was, Bailey Mckenzie. "If all of you are here, who's at the Emmys?"

Bailey raised a fine eyebrow at the foreign man and his two friends who were silently trotting after him. After talking to Mr. Genius, she lost all minuscule interest she had for the other three men. Well, except the short one with the odd hair—she heard that he was Penny's ex, and that made her slightly curious of asking him how his and Penny's relationship was. Mostly because she loved gossip. "Mr. Fleming—our awesome director—is there, but he's leaving after they announce the winner for outstanding actress in a comedy series."

"But you guys are nominated for outstanding comedy series, too," Howard added, turning towards the huge screen that was playing the awards show. "If you guys win, who will get the award?"

"A fine question," Bailey calmly said, smirking at the three men, "you see, _Halfway There_ was nominated for; outstanding lead actress—that's Penny—outstanding lead actor—that's Gregg—outstanding supporting actress—that's wonderful ol' moi—outstanding supporting actor, outstanding comedy series, and a bunch of technical awards that were given away about a week ago. We won majority of the effects and sounds, so really all that matters is Penny's award." She glanced at the three men who looked absolutely confused by what she said; they probably didn't watch anything that wasn't ended or geeky. "You see, only Penny has a fighting chance to win. _Modern Family_ will win the series award, like always, so we're not getting our hopes up. We're pretty pessimistic about that award, it's like they only nominated us cause they get a kick at seeing our disappointed faces—which we quickly have to change to a faux happy one for the camera—when they win. Either _Modern Family's Sofia Vergara_ or _Julie Bowen_ will win outstanding supporting actress—the one I'm nominated for—like they always do. Then outstanding lead actor will probably be won by _Jim Parsons_."

"Who's _Jim Parsons_?" Leonard asked, snacking on a bowl of peanuts.

Bailey stared incredulously at the bespectacled man. Had he been living under a rock or something? These guys really didn't know anything outside being smart and scientific or something. She didn't watch the show (and often forgot the name) but she knew who _he_ was. "He's the star of that geeky show that never wins at the Emmys. But, he won the award that Gregg's nominated for for two years straight now, and if he wins again, he'll be setting a record. I've only seen a few scenes of his show, but even I know that he's a really great actor."

"Didn't you also say that your show got a nomination for outstanding supporting actor?" Leonard remembered, causing Bailey to frown. This guy had too many questions. "Why didn't you mention him?"

"That's cause the guy nominated is James Watson," Gregg's distinct voice said out of nowhere before appearing from a crowd with Andy on one of his arms and Sheldon and Maddie trailing shortly behind him. "He's a real arrogant douche that thinks he's going to win, when secretly, his character's getting killed next season." Bailey nodded in agreement as Gregg settled beside her, setting Andy on top of the cocktail table. "It was a unanimous decision between the cast and the crew that we kill him off. We all hate him _that_ much, and we didn't even invite him here, so he's there at the award show."

"Dude," Raj whispered to Howard and Leonard, subtly pointing a finger towards Andy. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that a Sheldon only bandaid that's on Andy's knee?"

Leonard and Howard both titled their bodies to check, and felt their eyes widening as they proved Raj's statement. Sheldon _never_ allowed any of them to use his personal bandaids even if that was all they needed to save themselves from dying. They also knew that it was impossible that or _wasn't_ the Sheldon only bandaids, as Raj had refused to allow Sheldon to bring the twins' baby bag that contained everything the twins could possibly need. And Leonard knew that Sheldon didn't like bringing a lot of things unless he had a bag. Therefore, it really was one of the Sheldon only bandaids! They sent each other a look that they all understood; progress was happening!

Gregg grinned as the screen beside the one showing the Emmys turned on, and was now showing a Skype call to Penny. "They're calling Penny up! This is exciting!"

"Mommy?" Maddie asked at the mention of her mother's name. "Vid-yah co-hl mommy?"

Sheldon set her beside her twin, grabbing a glass of grape juice that a waiter was carrying on a tray and handed it Maddie. She'd be happier with the _wine. _"Yes, they're about to call your mother. They're about to announce who the winner is for the category your mother is nominated for."

"Hey guys!"

Sheldon glanced over his shoulder to see Penny's smiling face on the screen. She was wearing a gray hoodie with her hair up, and she seemed nervous and excited at the same time with the way her green eyes lit up and her brows furrowed. Beside her was—he watched the _Marvel Cinematic Universe_ movies and most recently, _Joss Whedon's Avengers—Scarlett Johansen_ (who also starred in Penny's new movie) who was shyly smiling at the screen, commenting about how much Penny's friends supported her, to which Penny responded by joking that she paid all of them to go there. "No, but really Scar, it was Gregg and Bailey who fixed everything up."

Gregg chuckled beside Sheldon, grabbing the microphone stand and removing it from it's holder. "This is all for show, when Penny gets back, this is all going on her tab."

Bailey raised her glass of mimosa towards the screen as Penny mock gasped, "heads up, blondie, I just bought all of your friends a bottle of the priciest champagne they have here, each. The bill is _so_ going to leave a gigantic dent in your next paycheck!"

The blonde laughed heartily through the screen, causing the Avengers actress to laugh along with her. "Which reminds me! Everyone, I'm sure you all know the lovely Scarlett Johansen, and Scar, these are all of my friends! I'd tell you all of their names, but it might take a day or two and we only got an hour of break."

"Oh my god," Raj stammered as he took a picture of the two actresses on the screen with his phone, "I can't believe I'm actually video chatting with _the_ Scarlett Johansen! Black Widow! In the flesh! Well, on the screen, but you know what I mean!"

Howard leaned over to check the quality of the picture Raj took, "I actually feel you for once. Hey, send me that photo when we get home! Or tag me on Facebook, that will really look great on my timeline!"

Leonard took a picture of his phone and grinned, "guys, this is such an awesome day. Wait til the guys at the comic book store see this!"

_"And now for the nominees for Outstanding Lead Actress for a Comedy."_

"Guys!" Gregg called, turning to the crowd that had gathered behind them, "it's time to wish Penny good luck!" They all nodded, before yelling 'good luck' at the same time.

Maddie struggled to grab the mic, but got it once Gregg handed it to her and Andy. "Mommy, Maddie wish good wuck!"

Andy snatched the mic from her sister, "Mommy! Andy wish you good wuck, too! Good wuck, mommy!"

Penny smiled warmly at the screen that was filled with almost a hundred people who were wishing her luck. "Thanks, twins, you don't know how calming it is to hear your voices."

One of the staff raised the volume of the speakers to max as the screen finished showing a snippet of _Tina Fey_ in _30 Rock_. "It's Penny's turn!"

Sheldon raised an eyebrow as the screen transitioned from one scene of a show to another. This time, it was Penny.

_"You can't do that, Pete!" _Penny's character growled; she was apparently up in heaven (it was the clouds that gave him the impression of this) with Gregg and Bailey's characters standing behind her as the blonde marched up to a wise looking old _man. "You can't just decide to kill her because of what she did! You have to give her a second chance! She needs a second chance! Can't you understand that because of the mistake in the command center, this girl found a new outlook in life?"_ The old man's face softened, and Penny's character sighed in frustration. _"You said it yourself. Everyone deserves a second chance, Pete. And I am telling you that that girl deserves one."_

There was a round of applause from both the audience in the private room and the ones in the award show as the screen transitioned to the next nominee's submitted episode.

Sheldon's lips formed a thin line as the people around him started congratulating Penny by passing the mic around. He had to admit, Penny was excellent it that scene. Had he been the guy she was calling Pete—which was probably St. Peter—he, too, would be persuaded to give whoever the said girl was a second chance. Penny's acting skills had improved vastly, and he somewhat regretted ever doubting her choice in career. Her sole performance in that scene deserved an award, and even he was moved by it. There was something about how her facial expression changed from one who was demanding something to be done (that the girl be given a second chance) to one that was desperate to change St. Peter's mind. How her tone transitioned from a strong woman who was dead set on getting what she wanted, then to one who had made her mind. That St. Peter was going to give the girl a second chance, whether he liked it or not. It was a powerful scene, and between her and the rest of the nominees, she had the best performance.

"Did you see that?" Gregg asked as the screen showed a scene from one Lena Dunham's show. "She was amazing, wasn't she?"

Sheldon swallowed, glancing at the screen that showed Penny whose attention was no longer at the video call, but was probably at the television. "She's remarkable."

"Do you think that Penny's going to win?" Bailey asked from beside Gregg, her dark green eyes shifting towards him. "Honest opinion, please."

"I," he paused, glancing this time at the twins who were staring in awe at the screens. He didn't have to tell them what he really thought. "I am here to make sure that the twins are unharmed during their stay here, and not for anything else. I do not care about such trivial matters." He felt his eye twitch, and he hoped that none of them noticed that he was lying. Penny was remarkable, and he could not deny that.

Gregg laughed, causing him to frown at the flamboyant man. "You know, Dr. Smart, you've got a long way to go." He and Bailey sent Sheldon a wink before turning their attentions back to the tv where the presenters were opening the envelope.

_"And the winner is..."_

The presenters looked at the envelope, and the room fell silent.

_"Halfway There's Penny—"_

Sheldon nearly lost his hearing as the entire room cheered at the mention of Penny's name. The people were jumping, yelling and some were even crying (Raj and Gregg) while a few opened bottles of champagne and started spraying the others. Raj, Howard and Leonard were hugging each other; Gregg was sobbing while Bailey started nagging him on how he was looking foolish. He felt a tug on the sleeve of his blazer, and turned to see the Penny reminiscent toddlers grinning up at him before standing and hugging him. He wasn't sure of what he was doing, but he placed an arm that reached past both of them and gave their backs a small pat. They may not have known what it exactly meant for their mother to have won, and they didn't care; they were just happy that their mother won. He was, too.

"I won," Penny mumbled in disbelief, her eyes wide with tears forming as Scarlett wrapped her arms around her, and various other cast members from her movie. "I won the Emmy." Several men and women started to hug her as the blonde shed tears of joy.

_"And to accept the award is Halfway There's director, Mr. Clarence Fleming!"_

The screen featured a lively middle-aged man with grey hair and a white beard and was sporting glasses. He stood at the middle of the stage, the trophy in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. _"Penny couldn't be here as she is in France shooting her new movie, so she sent me here to bear the anxiety we all experience before the winner is announced."_ The audience in the screen laughed, and the director grinned. _"Penny asked me to read the speech she prepared, so I'm going to get to it before they start waving the flag for overtime."_ He cleared his throat, then proceeded to read off his phone.

_"Even from where I am, right now, I can't believe that I won. This surreal feeling might never disappear even when I pass on, and I am forever grateful for those to chose me. I'd like to thank my family in Nebraska; my mom, my dad, my brother and my sister who never stopped supporting my career. My Halfway There crew—if it hadn't been for this wonderful show, I wouldn't even be nominated. To Mr. Fleming (_that's me_), Gregg, Bailey, Grant, the staff, and practically everyone from that show. You guys helped me in everything I did, from my twins to the color of my nails. I'd be lost if I didn't have a crew as great as you. To all of my friends old and new, and to my fans, who if I was without, I would not be here. You all inspired me to follow my dreams, positive and negative comments, and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And especially to my two wonderful kids; Andy and Maddie—and to your dad, too, for giving me the two of you. You are the greatest gifts I've ever received, my motivation, my inspiration and my everything. Without the two of you, I'm not sure if I would still have gotten to where I am, now. My success is your success, and I hope that someday in the near future, when you're old enough to understand what I'm saying, you see this and know that I really am nothing without the two of you. All of this is for the two of you, and I love you with all my heart and soul. Again, thank you for this magnificent award!" _The director raised the award over his head, and the audience (both the room and the ones in the screen) roared in applause.

"That has got to be the most touching thing I've ever heard," Gregg sniffled as he gave the twins—who had not understood why everyone was crying and only recognized their names—each a kiss on their forehead.

Bailey loudly blew her nose on a handkerchief (which went unnoticed by everyone except Sheldon) and wiped away her tears with her hand. "God, blondie made me cry. James is probably seething with anger cause not only did he not win, but he also was not mentioned in blondie's speech. That's what he gets for being such a prick." The dark haired actress sucked in a shaky breath before hugging the clueless toddlers, "you guys are so lucky to have the greatest mom in the world."

"Dude!" Raj cried, still emotional from Penny's speech, "I just can't stop crying!"

Leonard nodded in agreement, wiping his tears on his sleeve. "I wish I could claim that this is just allergies, but I can't, because that was the most touching speech I've ever heard. If my mom was that great, I wouldn't be as emotional as I am, now."

Howard sniffed as he placed his phone back into his pocket, "Bernie and my mom just called. They said that they heard the entire speech, and that even if it wasn't Penny who said it, all they could hear was Penny. My mom's still crying with Bernie, and Bernie's saying that if my mom continues crying the entire night, our house might get flooded." The other two men nodded, before they all hugged each other as they cried over Penny's speech.

Sheldon clenched his teeth. This was _impossible_. He was not getting emotional over some speech that wasn't even Penny speaking. He could already feel the tears prickling his eyes, and he was doing all he could to not let them fall. The entire room was a mess; practically everyone—minus him—was crying. Even Penny and the people with her were crying, and for once, he couldn't blame them. All of them were witnesses of how much Penny _wanted_ this. Even he knew about Penny's desire to be a successful renowned actress. Every adult in the room saw how Penny strived, and knew that this meant everything to the blonde. It was one of the first things she ever revealed to them, and it was constantly the reason why he ridiculed her. If there was something Penny would give her everything to get, it would be to fulfill her dream of being a successful actress. To him, her acting career seemed like an unreachable dream. With the way Penny's career was going back then, the math told him that there was a zero chance of her ever getting her big break. And his calculations were never wrong.

However, he saw it right before him. Today was the day that Penny finally made her dreams come true. He had been wrong, and he was ready to admit it. Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper was wrong about Penny, and he didn't even feel bad about admitting it to himself.

* * *

"I can't believe you didn't congratulate Penny," Leonard softly ranted as he carried a sleeping Maddie in his arms. They had just returned from the party, and was tired from all of the celebrating everyone did. Before they left, everyone except Sheldon personally congratulated Penny through the call. They even got to meet the jolly director who Gregg and Bailey joked that he deserved to win an award for delivering the most unbelievably touching speech in the world.

"There was a line, and I don't like lines and people. Especially people in lines." Sheldon snarled, shrugging off his blazer and hanging it on his desk chair. "Besides, we talk to Penny on a daily basis. I can always congratulate her without having to risk getting germs, thank you very much."

Leonard shook his head; his roommate really was something else. "Well, call her up. Andy's still awake, and won't sleep unless Penny says goodnight to him. Penny promised to answer the call, so don't be afraid to get your throat virtually punched." When his roommate didn't respond, he took it as a yes and proceeded to bring Maddie to his room to sleep.

Sheldon raised an eyebrow as he turned back to his desk and opened his laptop. Once it was on, he opened Skype and invited _Penny Blossom_ for a video chat. After a few seconds, he was met with a tired, yet happy looking Penny. "Hey, Sheldon, gonna carry me to say goodnight to the twins?"

He gave her a small smile, "yes, well you know that your children simply cannot sleep without hearing your mellifluous voice." He heard her giggle as he lifted his laptop, "I know what that means, now. So, I'm taking that as a compliment."

"By the way, I forgot to tell you," he raised the laptop to meet Penny's inaccurate gaze; this was easier to do through a screen. "Congratulations on the win, you deserved it more than anyone. Leonard informed me that the Emmys is the television equivalent of a Nobel, and that is truly impressive." He watched as Penny blinked at the screen, and he simply continued. He believed that credit should be given where credit was due. Penny deserved his praise and apology, more than anyone, actually. "And I must admit, I knew that you would win. You've finally fulfilled your dreams of being a successful and famous actress, and I apologize for ever doubting you, Penny. You were truly remarkable, and I was foolish of ever failing to see that."

"Thank you, sweetie. That really means a lot to me." Penny gave him a soft smile that was filled with appreciation and genuine happiness. It was the smile that Penny had on in the magazine, and this time, there was nothing off about it. It was the same one he gave her whenever she was having a nice day and the met in the hallway. It was the one she gave him after he hugged her, and after he loaned her money, and after he helped her with her flower beret business. It was slightly smaller than the one she sent him after her pain medication wore off after she slipped in her shower—though, it was the same smile nonetheless. One he hadn't seen in a while. He responded with a small smile of his own—one that didn't channel the Joker, or koalas—it was the rare smile he had that the others barely noticed when he had it on. So rare, that even he didn't notice that he was doing it.

And for the first time in two long years, Sheldon realized that he missed his former blonde neighbor.

* * *

**To make it clear, it was Mr. Fleming (the director) who read the speech, but it was Penny who wrote it. And Penny is video chatting everyone while watching the awards show with the Hindsight (the movie she's doing in France) crew. I don't own Scarlett Johansen. Also, it was _Julia Louis-Dreyfus _of _Veep_ was the one who actually won the 2012 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Too bad for Penny. Ha!  
**

**By the way, we are a single digit away from the revelation chapter! Woo!**

**Next up: Gregg, Bailey and the gang to go to a cartoon meet and greet event. **


	9. Vague Pictures

**This is kind of a filler chapter where nothing really happens, but please bear with me.**

**To Leanne: I google'd Drop Dead Diva and I was literally shocked at the similarities! And thank you for that very detailed summary! From the characters to the side stories—I didn't even know a show as cool as that existed! I'm definitely looking into watching it when I have some time :-D Bailey is a bit nicer in this chapter, though, but that's mainly because I didn't put much of her perspective. And Sheldon is changing slowly and he has yet to notice that… until this chapter! Oh, but that wonderful moment with Penny won't last as the revelation is near! So near that you can taste it! **

**Also, the Steel Samurai and the rest of the characters are from one of my favorite games of all time, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney! I just expanded their story and went into a little more detail. And this story has reached a hundred reviews! Awesome! Thank you to all of you who constantly review, you guys rock!**

* * *

If there was anything in this world that could get four grown up men to fear their lives like someone cornered by a starving lion, it would be the redheaded manager of Sunshine Fun Center.

Smiling Brenda.

"—it has been decided that Maddie will play the duck, and Andy will play the sheep."

The four men couldn't help but drown the redhead out to focus on how eerie her smile was. Like they always said, she reminded them of the Joker, except an actual one. They didn't really intend to scrutinize the kind woman (seriously) who was actually very nice to them, it was just that her smile was so disturbing. It was impossible to _not_ notice. Comparing it to other smiles, it really wasn't too different, but once you saw her doing it, it would be inevitable to not get bothered by it. Her normal smiling face was usually a tight lipped one that was probably because her lips were just... naturally smiling. Her smile was actually nice—if she had other facial expressions. Smiling Brenda's facial expressions were divided into two categories; creepy smile and plaguing smile. The creepy smile was the one she had on whenever she was talked to, and when she wasn't talking to anyone. The plaguing smile was actually her cheshire grin that further accentuated the curve at each end of her lips that made it so... creepy. Like the wide smiles that the creepy cartoon cats had. What really made it eerie was the fact that she never stopped smiling.

Leonard theorized that she was just a generally happy person.

Howard tried to point out that smiling Brenda only smiled like that to them, as everyone else didn't seem to be bothered by it.

Raj commented that it really just was the smiling quality that the curve of her mouth had.

Sheldon reasoned that it was the reason of his nightmares, and tried convincing one of them to anger the redhead to see if her smile would falter even for a bit.

They all rejected the idea, as Raj said something about how the happiest people were normally the ones who were dying inside. That brought the four of them to think of various scenarios that would stem from one of them angering the calm lady. There was of smiling Brenda (Leonard's idea) stalking them back to their houses and hiding in their showers with a kitchen knife, waiting for them before ruthlessly killing each of them. Then there was one where smiling Brenda (Howard's idea) would give them each a video tape of something that she was involved with, and once they watched it, they would get haunted by something for seven days before smiling Brenda comes out of the television still smiling on the seventh day. Then there was one where smiling Brenda (Raj's idea) would get furious yet still retain the smile on her face while swearing at them. Then there was one where smiling Brenda (Sheldon's idea) wouldn't react at all—while really seething on the inside—and everywhere they go, hiding in the shadows and making them feel anxious; then when night time falls, smiling Brenda would somehow simultaneously appear from their own shadows, reaching out to turn them to face her—forcing them to see her grin that has blood oozing out from her teeth before stabbing them on the stomach with a rusty knife that will lead to their untimely death.

Though the three wondered how Sheldon even got an idea as horrifying as that, they all found themselves tossing and turning the following night. Dreams of all four of their predictions plagued their slumber, which was what was making them eye the redhead cautiously. She was actually really nice, but their poor judgement wasn't making them see that, right now.

"—we will provide the costumes for the play, so none of you have to worry about anything." Smiling Brenda smiled at them (when did she not) then glanced over her shoulder to look at the whiteboard. "The play will be sometime next week, or so. But, there really isn't anything to worry—the twins are doing great!"

Maddie nodded in agreement, twisting her body from Leonard's arms to turn to the other adults. "Maddie good at quack!" She took a deep breath before imitating the animal she was going to play, "quack! Quack, quack, quack!"

Andy huffed from Raj's arms, crossing his arms, "Andy want to be duck. Andy da seep." He had on a bitter frown as he did his own set of animal sounds, "bah, bah. No fun."

"There's an _H_ in shee—ow!" Sheldon glared at Leonard who was sending him a look of disapproval.

"If you're wondering," the redhead piped in, "they really won't be doing the animal noises. Their play mostly consists of them doing a couple of gestures along to Old McDonald. They're not really going to do the animal noises, but we teach them the animal sounds, anyway." Smiling Brenda widened her smile, directing it towards the twins. "They've already memorized majority of the routine! Well, it consists mostly of waving Maddie's arms, flailing and waddling, while Andy's steps are practically only of him on all fours and swaying a bit—but compared to the other toddlers, they've really got the steps down pat!"

Maddie folded her arms then started flapping her hands. "Quack, quack!"

Andy grumbled a bit, then swayed in Raj's arms, "bah."

Smiling Brenda's eyes lit up, "see? They've got it down pat!"

Howard leaned towards Sheldon, lowering his voice, "is it just me, or is she just happy in everything she does—in a creepy way?"

Sheldon cocked an eyebrow, surveying smiling Brenda's unmoving smile as she conversed with Leonard and Raj about the upcoming play. "I will not agree nor disagree with what you said as I fear that she might turn to talk to me if I do. However, I do believe that—while doing this in a way that does not mention said person whatsoever to avoid a Beetlejuice scenario—I feel an ominous shiver run through my body each time that said person directs said person's attention towards me." The two men shuddered at the thought of smiling Brenda talking to them when they already evaded the terrifying smile. It was a hypothesis between the two of them, that whenever they mentally mentioned the redhead's name or so much as thought of her, she would turn to them to plague them with her smile. Which was why they were giving zero effort in trying to join in the conversation.

Then something _miraculous_ happened.

"Oh, Brenda!" One of the teachers called, trotting up to the redhead. "There's a problem."

Smiling Brenda turned her body slightly to look at the brunette, her smile smaller, yet still there. "What's wrong?"

"Remember the air vent that wasn't working that we kept on asking the janitor to fix?" Smiling Brenda nodded. "Well, we asked him to fix it yesterday, but it turns out that he didn't. It's really humid in the Clear Sky room, and it was a good thing that all of the students already went home."

For the first time _ever_, smiling Brenda's smile dropped and was replaced with an ominous frown that was absolutely terrifying the four men. "What? I told him to get it fixed yesterday, and he said that he did!" She hissed, clucking her tongue in irritation. "I'll talk to him, don't worry." Her frown lifted as she turned back to the frightened men, sending them a non-creepy smile. "If you'll excuse me, I have to settle something." She gave the brunette a look that told her to follow her. "Bye, Andy and Maddie! See you soon!" With a wave, the redhead spun on her heels and marched past them towards a different hallway.

"Did you see that?" Howard shrieked, struggling to keep his voice low do that no one else in the building can hear him. "She _frowned!_"

Sheldon let out a breath, still startled at what had just happened. He gripped the strap of his messenger bag, shifting his eyes to Howard. "I am questioning my sanity if what just happened was real or a simple illusion, but as I can feel my hand pressing against my strap as I grip it, I am not dreaming—nor is it an illusion or a hallucination—therefore that just happened."

Raj blinked ten times, then searched the room for the redhead. "That just happened cause I didn't drink anything, and I was seriously just waiting for her smile to drop the entire time. And it happened! Plus, her frowning is actually scarier than her smile!"

"I have to agree with Raj," mumbled Leonard, his free hand grasping his chin in thought. "Her frowning was so much scarier than her everlasting smile. In fact, it's so scary that I don't even mind her smiling anymore. Her smile even seems pleasant now that we've seen her dark side." The four men all nodded in agreement, causing Andy to send his twin a quizzical look from his position in Raj's arms.

The four men all stood in the middle of Sunshine Fun Center's lobby, probing how terrifying smiling Brenda's unhappy expression was. Though they were creeped out by the smiling woman, they were accustomed to her smile. It was already expected of her to smile all the time, even if it did give them nightmares. With them finally proving that smiling Brenda did have another expression other than smiling, her smiling face seemed less... creepy. It still crawled under their skin, causing goosebumps and shivers to run down their spines, but it no longer made them fear their life. Or the shower. Or the shadows. Now, she was just kinda creepy.

"So," Raj started, tearing each of them from their thoughts regarding the redhead. "How about we go clear our thoughts and get some cookies?" Sheldon sent him a scathing look. "No, no, wait and listen. I was roaming around the internet when I saw this article about this patisserie in Los Angeles that supposedly makes some of the best pastries out there! They first started out in _Cupcake Wars_, and after they won, they ventured out to making cookies and stuff. I saw the reviews, and they were great! They were even featured on _the Today show!_"

"Hmm," Sheldon hummed disapprovingly, "getting featured in a television show is already discrediting, but joining a televised contest that does not make full use of said patisserie's abilities and over exaggerates the terms of the challenge is much worse. Are you sure that they're supposedly one of the best out there?"

"Well, for one, they made C3P0 cookies for one of the challenges..." Raj mused, raising a curious eyebrow at Sheldon who looked interested. "And they made a Death Star display for the final challenge, which was for a celebrity's Star Wars themed party."

"Det Stah!" Maddie chirped, grinning widely. "Maddie want Det Stah, peas!"

"Is C3P0 the only character they design?" Sheldon questioned.

"Dude, the owner is a major Star Wars fan! There's loads of Star Wars themed food!" Raj nodded happily in response, making Sheldon's frown lift, but not too much. "Fine, but if this proves to not be as good as you thought, I get the right to say I told you so. I am only agreeing to this as I am curious, nothing more."

Sheldon gestured to the exit before leading them out of the establishment.

Howard chuckled to Leonard, "leave it to George Lucas to get Sheldon to do something." The three men all laughed together, until Sheldon barked that they get moving.

* * *

"I told you so," hissed Sheldon as they stood at the very end of the line in front of the store. "If we simply returned home, this wouldn't happen."

Raj sighed, counting the number of people in front of them. "There's only a line because the food is so good! They don't just serve desserts, they have full course meals, too!"

Leonard noticed how Sheldon's eyes ticked, which did not mean anything good. "Sheldon, calm down. Raj's right, there wouldn't be a line if the food wasn't good." The line moved, and three sets of people entered the corner brownstone store. It was actually a pretty nice place; it was the corner store and had it's own outdoor seating. With the way people were flowing in and out, the food must really be good. "Look, the line just moved!" He pushed the twins' stroller and took ten steps forward. There were only five groups of people left. "The line's moving pretty quickly."

Howard stuffed his hand in his pockets as he stood beside Sheldon, "I just saw a lava cake with sparklers on top come out of that restaurant. That has to mean that it's good!"

"But with this line, it will be impossible to enjoy the food whilst thinking about how long we stood here before we even got to get our order!" The theoretical physicist huffed, sending a glare to all five groups in front of them. Had they not chose to dine here, he wouldn't have to deal with a stupid line. He had other things to do that was more important than buying frilly cakes and tea; like solving the questions of the universe that he would one day answer. "Think of this, there are five sets of people in front of us; the first having three people, the second having two, the third having five, the fourth having three and the fifth having two and one infant. Let's suppose that there are around five tables that can seat five people each inside, that means that twenty five people can dine inside. Then there are four table outside here that can hold four people each, and as we can see, are all full. The precious two sets of people had two people each, and as we do not know how many people are actually inside, let's say that they cannot find a table. There is a ten-to-one table ratio, and seeing the pace that people eat, it will take at least half an hour before a table clears up." The three men silently nodded, following Sheldon's train of thought. "Therefore, there are nineteen of us—excluding the twins—and zero tables left, which mea—"

"I thought I recognized that condescending voice," a familiar voice remarked, successfully interrupting Sheldon and causing him to scowl in frustration. Sheldon turned around to see Penny's dark haired friend, smirking as she made her way towards them.

_"Oh my god, it's Bailey Mckenzie from Halfway There!"_

_"Wow, she's so tall in person!" _

_"And she's so pretty! The rumors are true, she looks great even without makeup!"_

_"I can't believe she's standing right in front of me! I'm such a fan of her show!"_

Bailey raised an eyebrow, glancing at the gushing customers then back at Sheldon and his friends. "Wait right there, I just need to do something." Her expression changed from her usual haughtiness to a seemingly genuine happy one as she trotted over to the people in front of the line who kept calling her for photographs.

"How is it that she's nice to them, yet not to me?" Sheldon spat, deeply frowning as he watched the annoying woman happily take pictures with her supposed fans and talking to them nicely. She even dropped her usual snarky tone as she conversed with the various people hugging her and taking pictures with her.

Leonard shrugged, "I think she's nice. She's actually really nice, you know." The theoretical physicist sent him a look of disgust. "I'm serious! You just don't see it cause you react so negatively around her all the time. She even posed for a picture with all three of us twelve times so that we could make a calendar. Anyone who'd have the patience to do that isn't as bad as you'd think."

Sheldon shook his head in disbelief at the tiny engineer who was clearly out of his mind. It might have been a side effect of seeing smiling Brenda frown. He turned back at Penny's friend who was smiling happily as she took a picture with a fan, then gave the fan a hug, then signed the notebook that was held out to her. After a minute or so, Bailey reached the group of people who were standing in front of them in line and proceeded to take pictures with all of them before heading back to them. He found it somewhat amazing how the people recognized Bailey even with her large sunglasses—had he not had an eidetic memory that recalled the actress' voice and facial structure, he wouldn't have known that it was her. He briefly wondered if Penny dealt with being recognized all the time. If Bailey was immediately swarmed by excited fans, then there was no doubt about it that the blonde was, too. Then he wondered if the twins were ever subjected to swarming fans whenever they and their mother were out doing menial tasks. It must have been exhausting for all of them.

"Sorry about that," the actress said, her tone making her sound sincere instead of her usual condescension. "I don't like ignoring fans." She let out a cool breath before smoothing down the bottom part of her black trench coat and readjusting her dark orange scarf that hung on her shoulders. "So, where were we?" Bailey pursed her lips in thought, then raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah. What are all of you doing here?"

"We're here to try one of the supposedly best pastries out here, as Raj claims." Sheldon answered stoically, jerking his head towards Raj's direction. "They say one of the best pastries, I refute it and say that it has one of the longest, most insufferable lines I've ever had to endure."

Raj pouted moving over to Howard who frowned. "Raj said that you haven't even tried the food yet, and yet you're already so critical." Raj whispered something again. "And that it has to be good for it to have a line."

Bailey blinked, "is that the only reason why Mr. Genius is acting all annoyed?"

The three men nodded while Sheldon growled, "it's _Doctor!_"

The dark haired actress nonchalantly smiled, ignoring Sheldon's protest. "Oh. Well it's your lucky day, I'm actually here cause Sparkly asked me to meet him here." She eyed the stroller thar had the sleeping twins in it. "He's been here since an hour ago, and he's pretty mad cause I'm late. I'm sure that seeing the twins will get me a fast pass to forgiveness." She placed a hand on the stroller and gestured for them to follow her, "come on. Knowing Sparkly, he's probably at a table by his lonesome self thinking of what pastry _won't_ ruin his figure."

Leonard gingerly looked around, trying to check if any of the people in line were mad that they had gotten a fast pass inside. "Uh, Bailey, are you sure it's okay to cut in line?"

Bailey glanced over her shoulder, "yeah. For one, Gregg and I know the owner, plus we're regular customers, so we don't really wait in line when we eat here. They just kind of usher us to a table. And, like I said, Gregg always has a whole table to himself, and I don't think he'd mind you guys joining—he'd actually be ecstatic. He loves company. Oh, and if they were to get mad at you, they should be mad at Gregg for holding up a table that could seat a new group of people for an hour that's effectively ruining the flow of people getting inside to eat then leaving so that new people can sit down and eat." She opened the outdoor seating area's door with her free hand, then pushed the twins' stroller inside.

Howard's mouth fell slightly agape at what Bailey said, then turned to Leonard and Raj. "Remember when we said that Amy was too much like Sheldon?" The two nodded. "Well, we were wrong. It's really Bailey, except she's the much tolerable version of Sheldon."

"She is _nothing_ like me," protested Sheldon who stopped in his tracks just to glare at them. "If you ask me, she's more like Missy, but she is _nothing_ like me. I'd have to lose four inches and a handful of braincells to be like her."

"Hey!" Bailey called from the door, a small frown on her face. "Are you coming or not?"

"Demanding," Raj mumbled as the four of them stalked towards the impatient dark haired actress. "Just like Sheldon."

Bailey waited for them to get inside then gestured for them to follow her to a booth at the very end of the restaurant, where a thoughtful Gregg sat, staring down at the menu. "Look at him. He's probably been doing that the entire time that he's been here, which has been over an hour." They moved in front of the table, and Gregg simply ignored them. "See? He's just sitting there, going through the special menu that lists all of the nutrition facts that each pastry has." Bailey stared at Gregg for another moment before snapping her fingers, "Gregory, hey! I'm here!"

Slowly, Gregg's head lifted and instead of his usual charming smile, there was a deep venomous frown on his face.

"Yeah, yeah, you're mad that I'm late," Bailey started, holding her hands up in defense, "but I had to finish that Mexican soap opera that I'm closely following. Miguel just cheated on Anita with Teresa, and Anita's getting back at him by going out with Alonzo. It's pretty intense, if you ask me."

Gregg gave her a look of disbelief then gasped at the sight of the four men awkwardly standing behind Bailey. "Oh, hey! You guys are here." He searched around before noticing the stroller at the front of the table that sat two sleeping toddlers. "And the twins! Bailey, why didn't you tell me you were bringing them here?" He gestured towards the empty seats then patted the one beside him. "Sit! Then order anything you want that you think won't ruin your figure!"

Leonard, Raj and Howard occupied the booth opposite Gregg, while Bailey took a seat beside her friend, leaving the solo chair for Sheldon to sit on.

Sheldon stared at the wooden chair with disgust then grabbed the wipes from his bag, and proceeded to furiously wipe the seat of the chair until it sparkled.

"If what I think he's doing is true," Gregg said, watching the physicist bend down to wipe the chair clockwise. "Then Penny's stories are spot on. He's really interesting!"

The standing physicist dragged a finger down the seat then scrutinized the pad of his finger. Huffing, he sat down on the chair and frowned. "This is less than satisfactory, but I have an inkling feeling that those booths' cushions are far worse than the uncomfortable solid surface of this wooden chair." He wiggled his bottom against the surface, "it is impossible to find a proper spot. How disappointing, but this will do." He gave each of them a forced smile, then pulled the double stroller beside him.

"Okay, now that Sheldon's settled, why don't we order?" Gregg offered, smiling at the still awkward looking men. "Have you guys had lunch? Are you hungry for dinner or just a snack? The food is great, but the desserts are better."

Bailey's eyes scanned the menu before roughly passing it to Sheldon, who sent her a glare. "Gregg and Raj weren't lying. They have great desserts here and have a great variety of it, too. Do you guys have anything in mind? I recommend everything in the menu except their triple chocolate cake. It's so sweet that two bites might get you a shoo in for diabetes." She waved her hand up, calling on a waiter to get their order. It took a second before the waiter arrived, but not before asking the two actors to sign his notepad. "I'll have the blueberry cheesecake, two mini servings of apple strudel—preferably sliced horizontally into bite sized pieces—earl grey tea and Gregg will have the carrot cake. And a bottle of water for everyone." Her eyes shifted to the men sitting in front of her. "What will you guys have?"

"I'll have the slice of apple pie, the special tea," Sheldon stoically said, handing the menu to the waiter. "And the Chewbacca chewy cookies."

Leonard cleared his throat, and did what Sheldon did, "I'll have the apple pie, as well." Raj leaned over to him to whisper. "Raj will have a platter of the Java the Hutt cookies, and what will you have, Howard?" The engineer took one last glance at the menu before sliding it down to Sheldon who gave it to the waiter. "I'll try the brownies—without nuts, please. I'm allergic."

Andy slowly opened his eyes, yawning softly as he took in his surroundings. Once he realized that he was somewhere he didn't know, he turned his head towards his twin, roughly smacking his hand in her arm to wake her up. "Maddie! Maddie! Wake up!"

Maddie—who was cherishing her nap—opened a single blue eye at her brother and grumbled. "Maddie seeping. Go away."

"Maddie," Andy cried, still unable to comprehend why they were in a different place. "We not at sun-sine cen-tah!"

Sheldon ignored Gregg and Bailey's conversation about whether or not carrot cake would ruin his diet and tilted his head down to see Andy desperately waking his twin up. "Andy," he called, getting the restless toddler's attention, "why are you waking your sister up?" The toddler grinned at the sight of their temporary de-facto guardian and lifted his arms up. Complying, Sheldon unbuckled his seatbelt and lifted Andy to the empty space beside Bailey.

"—but I've been going on a strict diet for a week, now, and I think all of these might break that."

"Then why did you ask me to meet you here, in the first place?" Bailey hissed before feeling something tugging on the sleeve of her coat. Turning to her left, she saw Andy staring up at her with happy blue eyes. "Andy, you're awake!" She quickly picked the toddler up and placed him on her lap, "I got you and your sister's favorites! Apple strudel!"

"You like apple strudel?" Sheldon asked to the toddler, who nodded in response. "Aun-teh Bay-wee and Uncah Gwegg ah-ways give Andy, Maddie and mommy ah-pah stoo-dah!"

There was a shuffling noise coming from the stroller, and Sheldon peeked to see that Maddie was awake. Unbuckling the seat belt, he lifted Maddie from the stroller and placed her on the empty space beside Bailey. The toddler's nose barely reached the table, and Sheldon sighed, picking her back up and placing her on his right lap. He normally didn't like either of the toddlers touching him too long, but he did not trust the booster seats or the highchairs in the restaurant. Knowing toddlers that he did not know, they would most definitely had slobbered all over the trays of the highchairs as well as dumping their food on them. Then those booster seats were abused by various children who no longer fit in a highchair who had accidents, and he was sure that the staff never did anything to sanitize them. He was not risking the chance of Maddie (and Andy) getting infected by the bacteria that swarmed those chairs and thus, he would make a sacrifice. He would allow Maddie—this once—to sit on his wonderful lap. Like a child foolishly sitting on Santa's lap thinking that they would get a present if they believed in Saturnalia.

Sheldon barely noticed Leonard, Howard and Raj exchange looks as he shifted Maddie on his lap. "Good afternoon, it seems you've finally woken up," he greeted the still drowsy toddler who had tiled her head all the way back to look up at him through sleepy eyes. If Maddie continued to stay in that position, her neck might get stiff, and that was not good. He gently pushed her head back to it's normal position, and noticed the questioning glances that his friends—Bailey and Gregg were still arguing about the carrot cake—were sending him. He raised an eyebrow as the waiter returned with all of their orders and placed each in front of them. Once the waiter left (and Bailey and Gregg were still arguing) he sent them a withering look before dragging a plate of sliced apple strudel. "Bailey said that you liked this."

"—the carrot cake's already here, Gregg!" Bailey growled in annoyance, taking the other plate of apple strudel and sliding it in front of Andy. "So, eat it or else."

Gregg grumbled, dramatically raising his hand to meld back a stray hair that hung above his eyebrows. "I have to retain the figure, Bailey. I didn't work out all week just to lose to sweets." He protruded his lips as he picked his fork up and shoveled into the carrot cake and took a bite. "There isn't any flavor! I should have gotten the red velvet one. Oh! Screw the diet!" Gregg pushed the plate away from him and stabbed his fork in Bailey's cheesecake and took a bite. "Yup. Bon Voyage diet, and bye bye Steel Samurai costume."

"Steel Samurai?!" The three men gasped in shock, while Raj squeaked.

"Uncah Gwegg da Steh Sam-wai!" Andy chirped before taking a bite of an apple strudel piece.

"You're the Steel Samurai?!" The three men exclaimed, eyes wide and mouths agape while Raj squeaked, again.

Gregg glanced at Bailey who was eating the cheesecake, barely paying attention to the new conversation. "Yeah, I've been playing the Steel Samurai even before I became got my breakthrough role in Lies and A Truth. I haven't quit the show, ever since" The four men's—even stoic Sheldon—mouths dropped in awe. "That's why I've been trying to maintain my diet. I'm afraid that I won't be able to fit in my costume, anymore."

_The Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo_ was a live-action adaptation of a famous anime called Meta Brothers that was a spinoff of a famous visual novel-slash-game. But unlike the original anime, the show was centered around the Steel Samurai and his quest to defend his country from the evil Evil Magistrate. Alongside him was his side kick, the Jamming Ninja, a ninja who had an enchanting singing ability that could get animals to join forces with him, who was also on a mission to save his beloved Princess Misola that the Evil Magistrate often kidnapped. Another lead character was the Steel Samurai's rival turned friend, the Pink Princess that often brought along her adopted younger brother, the Nickel Samurai, that was searching for his long lost metal brothers, Aluminum and Tin Samurai. The show was originally intended to be a children's show, but it turned out to be widely famous to all ages and had garnered a large cult following that allowed the show to expand vastly. Now, there were video games, toys, apparel, board games, food, memorabilia, themed household items and even an upcoming movie.

"Da Steh Sam-wai da best!' Maddie commented, biting down on a big piece of strudel that smeared the corners of her mouth.

Sheldon cringed from above her head and immediately grabbed a napkin to wipe the sauce and the crumbs off of her mouth. It was annoying how much the toddler was like her mother with her knack of disorganization, and eating like a slob. Andy usually ate properly while Maddie often made a mess. She didn't throw her food like what other toddlers did, she was just a really messy eater. Spilled milk from her cereal, spilled juice even from her sippy cup, spilled oatmeal, droppings of pieces of food—it was endless, and like always, reminded him of their mother. Well, Penny did it on purpose to annoy him, and he doubt that Maddie was as taunting as the older blonde. Unless, Penny had corrupted her children beforehand into irritating him by eating messily like she had before—but, he doubt that Penny would be crafty enough to think of doing that. She could have, but there really was no point of making her children do it unless she could see it. "Yes, that's nice. Now, don't talk with your mouth full."

"I can't believe I'm talking to the Steel Samurai!" Howard remarked, a wide grin on his face as he turned to Leonard and Raj then to Gregg who had an amused look on his face. "You don't understand, we're _all_ fans of the show! Even Sheldon! We have countless merchandise, and we haven't missed a single episode. Anime and live action western version!"

Sheldon looked up from Maddie, nodding in agreement. "Even I appreciate the wonderful work that is the Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo. We've been fans since it became the anime spin off and with live action one you're currently starring in. We have trading cards, costumes, board games, video games, toys, apparel, collectible plastic replicas of the weaponry, and everything else we can get our hands on." He pulled his phone from his pocket, unlocking it and showing Gregg his wallpaper. "My favorite character is the Evil Magistrate. See? He's my wallpaper. You're Raj's." He pointed a finger towards the astrophysicist who was grinning as he lifted his phone that showed his Steel Samurai wallpaper. "Told you."

Gregg laughed light heartedly, ignoring the annoyed look that Bailey was sending him. "I didn't think that you guys—or any adult—would know the show. The set is right next to the Halfway There set, so the twins watch us film all the time." The four men's mouths dropped, again. "Our set can be visited if you take the tour, but it was always parents and their kids. I've never even seen an adult who likes our show," the flamboyant man admitted, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck. "I've seen the articles abut the large cult following, but I've never believed that adults actually like our show."

Bailey lifted an eyebrow, taking one last bite of her cheesecake before sending her best friend a bored expression. "I just realized, you never told me why you wanted me to meet you here,"

Gregg knitted his brows in confusion, trying to think of why he really asked his irritable friend to meet him. His eyes wandered towards the twins who were happily eating their apple strudel, and he suddenly remembered what he had forgotten. "That's right! Bailey, I actually called you here to get you to call them here." He raised a hand and gestured to the four men, then turned back to his friend. "And I must ask, how were you able to sense what I wanted and took one step ahead of me?"

"I just saw them standing outside and asked them to come with me," answered Bailey with an uninterested tone, "I didn't really know anything about what you wanted me to do."

Gregg nodded ecstatically, clapping his hands together and turning to the four men. "You see, The Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo, is having this meet and greet event that we're holding at the studio." The four men's eyes lit up in excitement in what they were about to hear. "It's a tour at the set, then a meet and greet with the cast, then a special show will be performed that will be aired as our show's hundredth episode. It's an open even, and is going to be really fun—and I wanted to get Bailey to inform you about it so that the twins can come. Are you guys free to bring the twins at our studios on Saturday? I promise to give you a fun time."

"Are you kidding?" Leonard asked, still in awe at the fact that they were talking to the actual Americanized version of the live action adaptation of the original anime. "We'll make our schedules free! Are adults allowed to join?"

"Of course! Everyone of all ages can come if they want to." Gregg shrugged, combing his hands through his hair and brushing it upwards. "I'll give you guys my number so that we can contact each other." He grabbed a pen from his bag, then scribbled his number on a napkin and handed it to Raj who was close to fainting from sheer excitement. "Can you make it there by ten o' clock? I know it's early, but I have a feeling that there's going to be a long line." Sheldon's excitement quickly dropped off the face of the planet at the mention of the line, and Gregg chuckled. "Relax, Sheldon. I'll make sure that you don't have to go through any lines." The physicist perked up, and continued on eating his pie. "Besides, I think you won't have any trouble getting in the studios. The guards at the entrance actually knows the twins since they've had a few adventures around the backlot, that caused Penny to get paranoid and called the assistance of security."

Bailey sullenly nodded, taking a sip of her tea, "it's happened so many times that there isn't a single security personnel that can't recognize them from a mile away. Now, whenever the twins disappear from the set, they return about ten minutes later with one of the guards. The twins have even made friends with our neighboring sets."

"They've even made uncredited cameos in other shows because of it," Gregg added with a grin. "But anyway, as long as you can get there, I'll handle everything else. I've already talked to Penny about it beforehand, and she gives us our consent. As long as the twins don't get their hands on the official Samurai hot dogs. Allowing them to eat even one of those will ruin their appetite," the two actors shuddered at the memory, "we learned that the hard way, and let's just say that Penny wasn't too happy." The flamboyant man then wistfully sighed in recollection, and even Bailey looked like she heavily regretted it. "Nevertheless, can I expect all of you to go?"

The three men all stared at Sheldon—who was calmly wiping his mouth—for approval. They knew that even if all three of them wanted to go and Sheldon didn't, no one would be going to the awesome meet and greet. Sheldon, too, was a huge fan of the show (he was the biggest fanboy of them all) but when he didn't feel like it, he didn't feel like it. Like when they had the symposium in San Francisco, and all of them wanted to take the plane. But, Sheldon wanted to take the train, and three against one meant they were taking the train. However, they did get to meet _Summer Glau_ on that train, even if Howard got his phone destroyed by her—but they still got to meet her. However, there was absolutely nothing good about _not_ going to the meet greet that would be personally escorted by the actual man who played the awesome badass ginormous fan wielding samurai that was actually one of Penny's best friend, who also happened to be a very famous man. The only good thing of not going would be the possible privilege of gloating when Sheldon realized that not going would be the mistake of a lifetime. It didn't even sound as good as it usually would, compared to the meet and greet.

Sheldon placed the napkin down, and lifted his gaze to meet his friend's anxious ones, and Gregg's questioning ones. Then he felt a hand tapping his shoulder, and he looked down to see Maddie grinning. "Sedon go, peas? Da Steh Sam-wai amah-sing! Fun!"

Andy enthusiastically nodded from Bailey's lap, "da Jam en Ninja, fun, too! Go, peas?"

There was a moment of hesitation before Sheldon remembered his life size usable Steel Samurai fan that was displayed on top of his dresser. Not only was it one of the limited five released that already gave it a high value, but getting it signed by Gregg would further heighten it's value. So will getting his rare Evil Magistrate signed. Plus, the idea of getting his picture taken in front of the various backdrops and sets would look great on his Facebook account, and for a personal calendar.

"We'll go," Sheldon collectedly answered, emitting happy responses from both his friends and the twins. "But we better not endure a line like the one we endured outside."

* * *

Leonard went over the merchandise that was spread across the coffee table as Sheldon appeared from his bedroom, carrying his own Steel Samurai items. The tall physicist was wearing his navy blue Evil Magistrate shirt over a grey long sleeved shirt that matched the yellow Steel Samurai shirt that Leonard wore under his layer of jackets. "Are you getting your Steel Samurai fan signed?"

Sheldon smirked, gently placing the merchandise on the beige armchair and dramatically pulled the fan from a linen bag that came with the fan. He spread the fan with a flick of the wrist then gracefully swung it around, imitating the Steel Samurai's signature move.

"Aerial Swing Number Six," Leonard said as his roommate continued the movement. "Originally known as the randomly named _chousen nakare hitotsu_, the Steel Samurai's signature move in battle."

The theoretical physicist did one final swing before returning the fan to it's bag. "Impressive, Leonard. I believe you have studied up since our past blunder in the Steel Samurai Bowl where you mistook ASN6—aka _chousen nakara hitots__u_—for ASN5 or originally known as _asare nakara mittse_, the Steel Samurai's commonly used attack to finish an irrelevant battle." He gave Leonard a tight smile then returned to placing the collectibles in his bag. "We might have a fighting chance in this year's bowl if you keep this up."

Andy watched curiously from their playpen as Leonard brought out a fork like thing (another weapon in the show) and started poking the air. "Maddie, wat Uncah Wenad doing?"

Maddie looked up from her xylophone, furrowing her eyebrows at the scene in front of them. This time, Sheldon brought out a plastic sword that was almost as long as his legs and started swinging it at Leonard, who was effectively dodging it with the giant fork. "Maddie dunno. Dat a big foh-owk."

"Leonard, give up," Sheldon said as he swung the Evil Magistrate's sword of regulation against Leonard's replica of the Nickel Samurai's two tined pitch fork like _thing_. "We both know that the Evil Magistrate trumps the Nickel Samurai every time they meet. Surrender now, and I—the powerful Evil Magistrate—might even tell you where your lost metal brothers are!" Leonard made a faux struggling noise before pushing the weapon upwards with all his strength, and only moving Sheldon's sword by an inch. "Oh come on! Fine, I give up!" He whimpered placing his weapon down on the coffee table and lifting both his arms in the air. "But let it be known that the Nickel Samurai will one day beat the Strawberry Clan _and _the Evil Magistrate."

Sheldon contently nodded, taking a seat on his spot while Leonard went to switch the tv into the Skype call to Penny. "Leonard, what do you think is more suitable—not that I really care about your opinion, I'm just torn—a Jamming Ninja or a Steel Samurai visor cap?" He held both caps in the air, "I have yet to buy an Evil Magistrate one, and both heroes effectively ruin my outfit."

Leonard glanced at the items over his shoulder then turned back to tv and using the Xbox to log on to Skype. "Why would you even wear a visor?"

"For one, it's pretty neat, and it might be sunny." Sheldon simply stated, staring at the two caps before choosing one. "I'll just wear the Steel Samurai one. Knowing Wolowitz, he'd be in full Jamming Ninja themed attire."

"That's true. I heard him talking about fixing an outfit that was the exact colors of the Jamming Ninja. White dickie and all," Leonard told him, starting a call to Penny, which she quickly picked up. "Hey Penny, how—are you sick?"

Sheldon lifted his gaze from his mint condition Steel Samurai Fighting Stance action figure and glanced up at the blonde on screen. Penny was in her hotel room; her face was flushed, with dark bags under her eyes, her eyes looked red and watery while her nose was bright red and a comforter was wrapped around her already temperature appropriate clothed body. She looked like she had gone through hell and back. Like when Leonard was supposed to got the Large Hadron Collider, and she had gotten both of them sick. She did the soup cooking and he did any medical checking. The difference was; he was not sick, and a screen, an ocean and thousands of miles away separated him from her enough to not get him sick. "Penny," he started once he found his voice, "two questions; are you sick, or have you been crying? I'd need to be in the room with you to correctly tell if you're sick, and we all know that I can't physically do that."

The blonde grabbed a tissue and blew her nose, causing Sheldon to automatically back away in horror. "I'm sick with the flu, actually," she lightly rubbed her nose with her hand and Sheldon resisted the urge to tell her not to do it. "I think I got it from one of the production staff. Or cause of all the six in the morning training we've been doing." She sniffed and took a sip from a mug, "either way, I'm sick and took the day off. So, how are all of you? I'm assuming that those things are for that kiddie show Gregg stars in? He called me up yesterday saying that you'd be coming to this meet and greet event."

"Penny," Sheldon stated, still somewhat disturbed by the fact that the blonde was sick. He knew that it was impossible to get infected through a screen, but he just couldn't help it. "The Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo isn't just some kiddie show!" He glanced at Leonard who was subtly nodding in agreement. "It's a live action spinoff-slash-adaptation of a critically praised anime that is an adaptation from a famous gameboy and DS game, that deal with the everyday struggle of the titular hero—and his useless sidekick that does nothing but sing—in defending his city and sometimes his country from the devious, yet cunning, Evil Magistrate. Not only does the show have great effects that most live action shows fail to do, it has a realistic feel that differs it from the anime, yet still gives it it's own identity. There is a reason why it has a large cult following, and most of them are the reason why I am a fan."

"Leonard, did Sheldon really just say all that to say that he's a fan?"

The experimental physicist nodded, walking towards the playpen and unlocking it to allow the twins to talk to their mother. "Well, not in that sense. He mainly did that to refute you claim of it being some kiddie show."

"Oh. Well, he could have just said so in the first place instead of adding to this stupid headache I have." The blonde sighed, rubbing a hand at the back of her head as the twins toddled up to the camera. "Good morning, Andy, Maddie."

Andy tilted his head to the side, slightly frowning at the groggy quality of his mother's voice. "Mommy, sick?"

Penny weakly smiled, "yeah, I have the flu. But I'll be healthy again in no time—I just have to rest—and as Sheldon would say—drink plenty of fluids."

Sheldon raised an eyebrow at the screen, "of course I'd tell you to drink plenty of fluids. Why would I suggest that you drink gasses, solids or ionized plasma? Has your sickness already affected your brain, Penny?" The blonde frowned, but it didn't have the intimidating quality it used to have whenever she did not like what he said. It looked more like a tired frown, than one of disapproval. "If so, I suggest you go see the doctor immediately. I'm sure that you can search for the French translation of 'help' on _Google_."

"I think I can do fine by myself," commented Penny, who tiredly shook her head. "I got a check up from the on-set doctor, and she said that all I needed was rest. Something about fatigue lowering my immune system. So, I'll be fine."

Maddie gasped, shaking her head in disapproval. She may not know what 'fatigue' or 'immune system' meant but she knew that her mother was sick. And that meant one thing. "Mommy sick," the toddler proclaimed, gesturing for her twin to stand closer to her. "Andy and Maddie sing sof' kitty."

"Halt." Sheldon ordered, his voice stern and commanding. "Though I still am unsure of how exactly you children know that song—I do assume, however, that it was your mother who taught it to you—we must establish something vastly important." Both toddlers turned to him and Leonard groaned from the beige armchair. Penny had a weary expression on her face, one that told him that she didn't need his rant right now. It wasn't one of annoyance like it normally was, it was one of actual exhaustion. He then remembered her current health, and quickly back pedaled his thoughts. Suddenly, he recalled the two times that Penny took care of him when he was sick. It gave him an odd sense of nostalgia with how his eidetic memory flashed all of the memories of Penny in his head. This had started a week ago, after Penny's win, when he mentally acknowledged that he missed his former neighbor. It was sudden, but the feeling never left him.

In the two years that he hadn't seen Penny, he never so much as missed her. Kind of. He remembered her often—what couldn't he remember?—each time they played HALO or Age of Conan, and sometimes when they ate dinner and one of the three mentioned the missing presence of the blonde. Mostly, he thought of Penny when Leonard blubbered on how much he missed the blonde that Raj quickly joined in with. However, he never felt a sense of longing in any of those instances. He only _actually_ missed her after their short conversation. Now, whenever he did something that had a tiny connection to the blonde, he couldn't resist reminiscing about the days when the blonde still forcefully inserted herself in their daily life. Laundry night, HALO night, mooching off of them, mooching off of their wifi, mooching off of their cable, her nonsensical questions and topics of discussion—and most of all, driving him to work when Leonard was either unable to, or was mad at him about something trivial. He had to take the bus whenever Leonard mysteriously disappeared, and when he came back furious at him.

He even missed the Cheesecake Factory and it's terrible service. Immediately after Penny upped and left, he proclaimed that they would _never_ eat at the restaurant, again. The only reason they ate there was because Penny was their waitress, and only she could touch his food. There was a time when he found Bernadette okay, but then she quit and became a microbiologist that earned more money than the peanuts Howard made. Since then, he had his Tuesday burger at the quaint restaurant that Raj found, where they also bought the twins' food from. Although they had better burgers than the Cheesecake Factory (they always remembered to put the barbecue, bacon and cheese on the side, and no tomatoes) he sometimes missed having his barbecue bacon cheeseburger there, and reprimanding Penny on forgetting the menial task of not adding tomatoes in it. The Green Project did his food so well that he never had a chance to criticize it. It was impressive and saddening at the same time. Plus, they had excellent service that never slacked off.

Life without the blonde was actually easier than Leonard claimed it to be—minus the having to ride the bus to work. Their apartment no longer suffered the likes of _Jersey Shore_, or _the Kardashians_, or Penny's silly antics such as dancing. Their pantry no longer got scrounged by the blonde's mooching ways, nor did their fridge. Though, Leonard got all mopey (which was one of the main reasons why he grew a dislike for the blonde) he no longer designed his futile plans of getting Penny to fall in love with him. Or get back together with him. Raj could now speak without difficulty when at their apartment, except when Amy came over. He now became the undefeated HALO champion, and had a peaceful time at playing Age of Conan. He really didn't see the 'missing thing' that Raj and the others kept on pointing out, but looking over the past two years, again, he did notice how it was a little less lively without the blonde. Plus, when he got sick, he had to take care of himself since the others were all unreachable. He had to sing soft kitty to himself to get better, and it didn't sound as comforting as he thought.

Sheldon heaved a heavy sigh as he glanced at the twins' unsure faces, then at Penny's sickly appearance. He was growing too soft. "I—soft kitty is _only_ for when you're sick." The twins stared up at him, waiting for what he was going to say. "Clearly, your mother is sick. Which means that you have to sing soft kitty to her."

"Sof' kitty!"

"Mommy, Andy sing sof' kitty!"

"Really?"

"What's soft kitty?" Leonard asked, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"It's a song for when you're sick. Don't pay much mind to it," Sheldon quickly answered, handing Leonard the rare collectible Jamming Ninja iconic red guitar that they bought together. "Should we get just the Jamming Ninja to sign this, or the whole Magatama gang?"

Maddie cleared her throat and counted to three before singing along with Andy. _"Sof' kitty, wahm kitty, 'itah bah of fuh, happy kitty, seepy kitty, puh, puh, puh."_

Sheldon tuned Leonard out, and listened to the mispronounced version of his sick song. He saw Penny smile warmly at them from the screen and sighed, again. He really wasn't happy that someone other than him knew the song—much less, Penny—but he supposed that he could let it go for now. He tore his gaze from the screen and caught up with Leonard's reasoning on who they should get to sign the guitar. "I must admit, you are right, getting all of the actors to sign will make it's value heighten."

"Hey, Sheldon," the blonde called, sounding much chipper than before. "Thanks for letting me hear soft kitty."

"Don't be ridiculous," the theoretical physicist huffed, handing the rest of the items to Leonard. "You are sick, and the song is befitting. I also had nothing to do with it as it was your children who sang it to you." The smile on Penny's face was irking him. "I suggest that you go and rest to further recuperate."

The blonde nodded through the screen, a smile still on her face. "Alright. I'm feeling much better now, but I'll listen to tour suggestion. I can tell that you're excited to see Gregg's show and I'm stalling you guys." She waved at the screen, and the twins waved back. "Thanks for the song, guys. I'll talk to you, soon." She sent them one last smile before disconnecting the call.

Sheldon stared at the screen for another moment before picking up the mint condition Pink Princess action figure and handing it to Leonard. "Don't forget this one. Signed Pink Princess toys are worth much more than the male warrior ones."

"Hey guys," Raj greeted as he walked through the front door, Howard trailing behind him. "Are you ready for some Steel Samurai?"

Howard grinned, gesturing to his themed outfit that consisted of a white dickie underneath a blue long sleeved shirt, over navy blue pants and red shoes. "The real life Jamming Ninja is here!" He swung the iconic red guitar from his back, and started strumming on it. "Song of Hearts; reprise!"

"Wow, you guys are really dressed up," Leonard commented, glancing at Raj's outfit that was in the colors of the Nickel Samurai. "Sheldon and I were thinking of doing that, too, but we remembered our shirts. But we got the twins to wear the Pink Princess and Jamming Ninja shirts we bought them yesterday." He zipped the bag filled the collectibles and slung the strap over his shoulder. "Sheldon, you ready to go? This is gonna be a _big_ day!"

Sheldon stood from his spot, grabbing his own bag of items then proceeded to carry Maddie. "It's not just a big day, this will be the day that we will fight alongside the Magatama!" The four men enthusiastically raised an arm and did a battle cry that only confused both of the twins.

* * *

Bailey clucked her tongue in slight annoyance as she stood beside Gregg in front of the Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo's studio. She did not have any intentions of going with him to the meet and greet, and instead planned to spend the day catching up to all of the shows she watched. Sadly, at nine sharp, the flamboyant man appeared in front of her doorstep—like a wild Ratata or Tentacool from _Pokemon_ that no one wanted to encounter—excitedly demanding that she get ready to join the 'fun.' Since she was so nice, she obediently complied, but not without mocking the show he starred in.

"Do you think that they got lost?" Gregg worriedly asked, fixing a stray hair that had separated from the moussed light brown hair that was stylishly brushed upwards. Gregg _was_ known for his great hair. "I told the guards beforehand to bring them directly here at the studio. What if they arrived early, didn't see us and went back home?"

The dark haired woman raised an eyebrow, "Sparkly, you're overreacting. It's only been ten minutes, we're not late. You're too anxious, today. You haven't had coffee, yet, have you?"

Gregg's hazel eyes flared, and Bailey sighed; whipping her phone out to text one of the staff to get her friend a cup of coffee. Whenever Gregg didn't have his early morning coffee, his dramatic perkiness died out and was replaced by dramatic crankiness. "Well maybe if you didn't take half an hour to choose an outfit from your wardrobe that consists of all black, maybe we could have gotten here earlier!"

Bailey glanced down at her outfit; a black jacket over a black turtleneck, over a pair of dark jeans. Since everyone knew that the only colors she wore was black, it meant that Gregg was getting paranoid with the way he freaked out over her choice of clothing. She changed the order of a cup of coffee to three; two for Gregg, one for her. "Hey don't put the blame on me, I'm not the one who needed to apply makeup even though he doesn't even need makeup."

"Maybe if you put some makeup on you wouldn't look like that ghost girl from _the Ring!_" Gregg snapped, running an agitated hand through his styled hair. He then started pacing, until the Halfway There staff member arrived with the coffee that calmed him down. After two cups, Gregg relaxed and brought out his phone. "Oh, they just texted me saying that they're here."

"You are so weird," Bailey plainly said, taking a sip of her coffee as a go,f cart arrived with the aforementioned people. "I told you we weren't late," she took one last sip before dumping the styrofoam cup into the trash. "Well, good morning to all of you," she greeted as the men hopped of the golf cart one by one then placed the stroller filled with the toddlers on the ground. The twins waved at her and Gregg, and they both waved back before she stepped towards the men. "Is there a particular reason why you're fifteen minutes late?"

The three men stared accusingly at the mute man who had a sheepish look on his face.

"We just had to stop over at a convenience store," Sheldon dully answered, glancing at Raj. On the way to the studio, Raj realized something very important; there was a big chance that a woman might talk to him—like a production assistant who might ask him for his information that would be needed in order to join the official Magatama club that was now also open for adults. After countless tries of insisting that they get him at least a can of beer, Sheldon agreed and they stopped over for Raj's drink. They took a little bit longer because the twins wanted snacks and they had to scrutinize which would be okay for an infant with a very strict mother—who was also intimidating and could easily kill them, shall they give them junk food—to eat. In the end, they got them fruits and fruit juice that they made sure wasn't artificial. Then when they arrived at the studios, Raj supposedly saw the star of something called _'Pretty Little Liars'_ and insisted that they go after her. Which turned out to be a random woman who was touring the studio, and in turn nearly called Raj a pervert. Luckily, they ran across a security guard who recognized the twins, and brought them here. "That was it."

"I'm glad that you're finally here," Gregg smiled, crushing the cup in his hand before tossing it in the trashcan. "I thought that Bailey's indecisiveness had caused us to arrive later than you, causing all of you to leave." He wiped his hands on a napkin that Bailey handed him, then glanced at the various life sized replicas that the men were carrying. "Are you getting to get those signed?" The four men eagerly nodded, and Gregg handed him a stack of post-its and a pen. "Then, we should head over to the studio. The rest of the cast is already there, rehearsing for the show later. I can get them signed for you while we wait for the meet and greet to start. Put your name on those paper and attach it to the items that you want to get signed. Don't want to get a mix up." He motioned for one of the guy who was driving the go.f cart to come over, then gestured to the items. "Could you get those to the dressing room and tell them to sign it for me? Then tell them that I'll be with them after a bit, and that I just have to finish things." The guard nodded, carefully taking the items from the guys and placed it in the golf cart before driving off.

"Watch Jam en Ninja, now?" Andy asked from the stroller, a hand gripping a bottle of apple juice.

Maddie swallowed the cracker she was chewing on, and snatched the bottle from her brother's hand and drank it down. Once she washed the cracker down, she sent her twin an affronted look. "Maddie no want Jam en Ninja. Maddie want Steh Sam-wai! Da Steh Sam-wai da bestest!"

Raj faked coughed, "The Nickel Samurai is the best," then avoided the glances the rest of the adults were sending him.

"You're all wrong," Sheldon stated, folding his arms over his chest. "The Evil Magistrate is clearly the best, or else someone would've beat him by now." He saw Gregg raise his eyebrows, and he cleared his throat. "No offense to Gregg, of course. Your portrayal of the lovable—yet gullible, as always—hero is remarkable, but there is just something about the Evil Magistrate that makes me biased."

Howard leaned over to Leonard, "must be the one accident waiting to happen that's talking to him."

"Or the dark side," Leonard suggested, causing him and Howard to stifle a laugh.

"Oh, it's okay," Gregg chuckled, gesturing for them to follow him to one of the studios. "My personal favorite is the Pink Princess—cause there's just something so dramatic about her that I like. I do love my character, of course. But I'm just one of those people whose favorite isn't the hero—or anything canon—and prefer the one that isn't everyone's favorite. Plus, the Pink Princess costume is so much lighter than the Steel Samurai's." He stopped in front of a set of double doors and grinned, "everyone, hold your breath—except Bailey cause oxygen is the only thing that keeps you lively—because we're about to enter the world of Neo Olde Tokyo!"

With a push, he opened the doors and revealed the various realistic ancient Japanese architecture—and the line that formed due to the people taking pictures.

Sheldon frowned, turning to Gregg, "you said that there wasn't going to be a line."

Bailey looked around, scanning the line that spanned from one of the makeshift towers to a plaza to a forest to a paper house to a green screen, and back. "Mr. Genius—"

"—it's _Doctor_—"

"Yeah, yeah, _Dr. Genius_ here is right," the dark haired actress pointed out as Gregg placed a hand on his forehead. "The show starts at eleven, but seeing that line, I doubt that they'd be able to take pictures here and get to the performance area in time for your fancy little special episode."

"We can wait in line," Howard insisted, even though he found the line to be as long as the Great Wall. He saw the others cringe—and Sheldon mentally shoot lasers from his eyes at the people—and sucked in a breath. All three men sent him different messages by simply looking at him. Raj's said, "what the hell, dude? Are you freaking crazy?" Leonard's said, "you have got to be kidding me!" And Sheldon's said, "if you think you will subject me to, again, enduring this irrelevant line, then you are wrong. This is beneath me, and shall you force me to do such, you will be awarded a hefty number of strikes that will permanently affect your guest record. Tread lightly."

"Yeah... we can wait in line."

There was a series of muffled protests, followed by Sheldon vehemently shaking his head. "No. Absolutely _not!_ Have you seen that line, Howard? That line is longer than the one at the Avenger's midnight premiere!" The theoretical physicist waved his lanky arms to gesture at the line then did the Evil Magistrate's Rejection Swipe that consisted of swiping the arms across the air, making an X then pointing upwards. A couple of the people in line clapped once Sheldon finished the move, then he barked at the people to mind their own business. Had they not been at a place filled with people who knew what the hell he was doing, he would have looked crazier than he already was. "Gregg! You promised that there wouldn't be any lines. What is your excuse?"

Gregg narrowed his hazel eyes as he searched the room, clucking his tongue before frantically waving his arm to call on a production assistant. "Mr. Wilkes! I heard that you were finishing something first before heading over here."

"Aren't we holding people off from the actual set until the meet and greet?" Gregg asked, panic evident in his pitchy voice. "I was planning on touring my friends around the set cause I thought that the picture taking activity was to be held outside at the makeshift set for the show. Why is everything going all wrong?" He dramatically asked, turning to Bailey who was sending him a look of embarrassment. "Sparkly, you're getting too overdramatic. The set doesn't leave—you know that—and they can easily come back another day to take pictures. I think that the meet and greet is more important than this."

"We're sorry Mr. Wilkes," the assistant started, scribbling something on her clipboard, "a fan somehow got in the studio and led the rest inside. It's out of control, and we're doing our best to handle it. We've been thinking of moving the meet and greet earlier so that the fans will divert their attention to that. For now, I hope you and your friends don't mind waiting at the makeshift set," the woman lowered her voice, cautiously turning her head to make sure that no one would hear, "cause that's where the meet and greet will be at."

"Fine," Gregg exasperatedly sighed, "I'll just tour you here some other time. At least, that wouldn't have any lines, and you'd even get to try the green screen." The four men perked up while Bailey still frowned. "We'll head to the makeshift set. Oh, and could you please put my friends at the start of the list of the meet and greet? Bailey, here, won't be happy if the twins get smothered by people."

The production assistant nodded, moving over to the four men and handing them the clipboard. "Write in your names so that I can personally get you when the meet and greet starts." The adults complied, writing their names down and handing the clipboard back to the lady. "Alright, then. I'll fetch your friends when the meet and greet starts, Mr. Wilkes. And don't forget to get in to costume right after the meet and greet—the show starts right after it." The lady sent Gregg a smile before walking off.

"Wait, I thought that you got their things beforehand so that the cast can sign their things? If you and their collectibles aren't there during the meet and greet, what exactly is it?" Bailey inquired, checking on her plum colored nails.

"Good question, Bailes," Gregg said, placing a hand on the twins' stroller and leading them out to the makeshift set outside the studio. "You see, the difference between the meet and greet and me personally getting their things signed is that the meet and greet signatures are only the character names, whilst mine is getting the actual actors to sign it. The meet and greet is practically just a photo op with the costumed body doubles, and a chance to hug them." They exited the studio and stopped at a clear space that had the same backgrounds and rows of chairs in front. "Welcome to where the special show will be held. Pretty cool, huh?"

Maddie gasped from the stroller, her eyes going wide at the newly built set. "Maddie no go dah be-foh!"

"Dis new pace," Andy added as he scanned the wide set that replicated the one inside the studio. "Dat da Jam en Ninja house!"

Howard dug through his pocket to get his phone, taking a picture of the set. "This is so awesome!" He turned to Gregg, excitedly grinning at the actor. "Is it okay for us to pose and take pictures there?"

"Yeah, of course! Take as many as you want," Gregg watched as Raj pulled out a retracted monopod—from somewhere he didn't want to know—extending out and attaching a camera on top of it. Raj placed the camera in the middle of the audience seating then giddily ran back to them. "Guys, I downloaded an app on my phone that let's me control the camera's timer from my phone! We can take as much as we want!"

Leonard and Howard grinned at Raj, then took the twins out of their stroller with full intention of including them in the pictures. "Sheldon," Leonard called, adjusting Maddie on his hip, "aren't you going to come with us?"

Sheldon's eyes slightly narrowed, sending his roommate a scathing look. "That is a makeshift set, therefore it is not the actual set where the show is filmed, thus making it irrelevant." He frowned completely when he realized that his words were not being understood by his friends, and that their excitement had not died down. "I'll pass. I'd rather wait to go to the actual set than take pictures in a set that will be torn apart after the show."

Leonard blinked, then grinned at his roommate, "okay, then! We'll see you later!" The three of them waved before hurriedly making their way to the temporary set, excitedly chattering on how the pictures would look so cool.

"So," Bailey hummed from beside Gregg, who was watching the others in amusement, "want some coffee?"

Sheldon stared at the dark haired actress for a moment then shrugged. "I don't drink coffee. I do, however, drink tea."

* * *

"So, Sheldon, did you know that I have a boyfriend?"

Sheldon looked up from his tea filled styrofoam cup, raising an eyebrow at Gregg's statement. "Yes, you informed me of it when we were at Penny's award show party. If I'm not mistaken—which I'm not—he owned the restaurant that we ate at."

Gregg happily nodded, "that's right! We've been together for five years now, and we're thinking of either adopting or having a kid. What's your thoughts about that?"

"I've thought of having one via in-vitro fertilization and a surrogate up until Leonard said that I shouldn't." He still considered the idea of having progeny via the scientific way regardless of Leonard constantly telling him that he shouldn't. What Leonard's problem was about it, he didn't know. It wasn't like there was something wrong about it. Though his mother would reprimand him for 'not doing it the way Jesus told them to do it' he was sure that she would be ecstatic to have a grandchild. In contrast to his roommate, his mother had been prodding him to 'give' her grandchildren ever since Junior gave her one. It really was a win-win situation—his mother getting a grandchild, and him not doing it the messy way—and he would surely go through with it in the near future. Maybe, a little after he won the Nobel so that his progeny would be inspired of his success. "You should ask Penny to be your surrogate—her broad hips and corn fed vigor will surely house your offspring well."

"Oh, she'd house it well, alright," Gregg quickly answered before giving Bailey a look that Sheldon once again did not understand. "Anyway—you seem to think that Penny's a good choice for a surrogate. Why don't you get her to be your surrogate?"

"Why in the world would I choose her as my surrogate?" Sheldon squawked, clearly affronted by the question.

"Cause you suggested it, genius," Bailey snarked, placing her cup down on the empty seat beside her. "And hey, what's wrong with getting Penny as a surrogate? She's a bit too bubbly for my taste, but even you admitted that she's remarkable."

"Penny already has two children of her own," replied Sheldon, taking another sip of tea. "Asking her to bear another one that isn't one of her own seems to be a bit unreasonable." The two friends shared another knowing look that was getting on Sheldon's nerves. These two had their own language that was built mainly on widening the eyes and moving the eyebrows. What he wanted to know was if they were talking about him. They could have been planning on killing him and he didn't even know it. "And, that was a simple observation-slash-opinioned suggestion for you, not me. You did ask me for my opinion, did you not?"

Gregg smiled slightly, leaning back onto his chair. "True—but, let's change the topic. Bailey and I were talking the other day and we noticed that the twins are very fond of you." The three of them glanced towards the stage where the makeshift set and the others were. Raj was at the front, adjusting the camera on the monopod while Leonard and Howard were practicing the poses they would do. At their side was Andy and Maddie who were imitating what the adults were doing. Andy turned to do the swinging move that Leonard was doing, but stopped when he saw the three adult stating at them, tapping his sister's shoulder then waving happily at them. "It's _really_ interesting cause the twins actually dislike strangers."

Sheldon turned to the flamboyant man, sending him a look of confusion and Bailey continued. "What Sparkly said is true. The twins really don't react well to strangers unless Penny was the one who introduced the stranger to them. It took them about a month before they got used to us."

What the dark haired woman said was true; the twins really did not react kindly to strangers. Looking back at it now, the twins never warmed up quickly to any of the strangers he introduced to them. They barely spoke when Mrs. Gunderson was talking to them; meeting Amy was one of the awkwardest scenes he and Bernadette had ever seen, they barely acknowledged Stuart, and it took a while before they got used to smiling Brenda. Kripke, however, was a different story, as they somehow connected due to their misuse of the letter W. Though they were usually energetic, happy and friendly infants, but that did not apply to strangers. Maddie even went as far as stopping Andy from talking to Kripke when they first met him. But, if they didn't like strangers... why didn't they shy away from him? He was considered as a stranger—as they never met before—yet they liked him from the start. Well, he really was such a likable person.

"How long did it take for them to get used to you?" Bailey faced him, a curious look on her face.

"They didn't. They liked me from the start," he answered, recalling how from the very first week, the twins often tried to get his attention, which led to Andy and Maddie's stumble in the apartment. "But it isn't surprising, as I am truly an amazing person."

Gregg chortled, causing Bailey and Sheldon to glare at him. "It's so entertaining how narcissistic the two of you are! You're really long lost siblings!" The flamboyant man dodged the punch to the shoulder that Bailey was about to do as the costumed Steel Samurai characters came out of the studio, followed by the previous production assistant walking up towards them. "Mr. Wilkes! The meet and greet is about to start—we've told the audience about it, too." She glanced down at her clipboard then settled her gaze on the physicist beside the two actors. "He's one of the guys on the list, right? We've placed you at the start of the list. Please follow me."

"You should take the twins with you," Gregg suggested, standing from the chair and glancing around the area. "The audience might be flowing from the studio any minute now. You should get going."

Sheldon frowned at him before silently standing up and making his way to the stage where the others were. Knowing his friends, they'd rather take photos for their Facebook rather than taking a picture with the actual costumed characters. He stopped in front of the posing adults who were ignoring him as they took pictures, and turned to the twins. "The meet and greet is starting, and I'll be bringing you along with me."

The toddlers grinned at each other, jumping up and down in excitement. "Andy want pic-cha wid Jam en Ninja!"

Maddie raised her hands up to Sheldon, and he lifted her up. "Sedon! Take pic-cha wid Steh Sam-wai too, peas!"

"We're going to take a picture with all of them," Sheldon stated as they walked down the steps, grabbing hold of Andy's hand as he jumped on each step. "Andy, you really have to be careful. Your mother won't be happy if you get hurt again." The toddler simply let out a giggled, stopping at the second to the last step and taking one big jump to the ground. "Andy not get hurt! Cos' Sedon no make Andy booboo!"

"I didn't really understand anything you said, but I'll take that as a compliment," he gave the two toddlers a small smile before walking towards the production assistant. "Okay, you're the first here so you can start the meet and greet with any characters you like. The pictures will be given once you've taken one with each character." The lady gestured to the start of the line and unhooked the rope from the post. "Enjoy, and I'll meet you at the end to give you your pictures."

The first character was The Jamming Ninja who Andy immediately approached, which the mascot responded by lifting the toddler up for the picture. After Andy—Maddie didn't like the character and refused to take a solo one with him—Sheldon took a picture with the mascot while the toddlers went up to the Nickel Samurai. They each took a solo picture with the mascot, then moved on to the Pink Princess which Andy refused to take a picture with, saying that he didn't like pink. When they reached the Evil Magistrate, Sheldon took four solo pictures with him before the photographer told him to move on to the last. He originally wanted to take twelve (to make a calendar) but four was good enough, and with the number of pictures he got with the other characters, he could make a Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo calendar instead. All that was left was the Steel Samurai.

"Andy take pic-cha Steh Sam-wai, wid Sedon, peas?"

Maddie nodded from his arm, "Maddie, too! Maddie and Andy no pic-cha wid Sedon!"

The Steel Samurai mascot—which wasn't Gregg as he was talking to Bailey—waved to them, gesturing for them to stand beside him. Sheldon sighed, grabbing Andy's hand as they moved closer to the mascot. "Sedon," Andy called, tugging softly on his hand, "Andy up, too?"

"You want me to carry you?" The toddler nodded. "I thought that you weren't an infant, and only infants want to get carried." Andy blinked, barely understanding what he had said, and raised his hands towards him. Sheldon wondered why the mini Penny suddenly wanted to get carried. He never wanted it before, and always chose to walk (toddle, skip and stumble) beside them. The only time he didn't walk by his own was when he was in their stroller, or when of the others chose to carry him. But the big question was, could he really manage to carry both of the toddlers?! Leonard had done it before, but it took five minutes before he grew weak and set Andy down. Howard could only carry one of them and he never saw Raj carry both of them. If he does break his back, let it never be said that he refused the please of an innocent toddler who simply wanted to get carried. Penny owed him for this.

Heaving a sigh, he secured his hold on Maddie and bent down to lift Andy with his free arm. Once he straightened back up, he blinked and glanced down at the two toddlers that were on each of his sides. He succeeded in carrying them! And he didn't break his spinal cord in the process! Maybe, he really was a superhero!

"Okay," the photographer said from behind the slightly outdated camera that he had been using the entire shoot. The photographer claimed that they were using that so it would match the traditional Japanese theme of the show, but not having a camera and painting portraits would be more appropriate. "Smile for the camera!"

Sheldon preferred to do the signature Steel Samurai pose, but due to the circumstances of the twins that were sitting on his arm, all he could do was make a small smile. "That was amazing!" The photographer grinned from the camera as the printer buzzed from beside him, producing the pictures that the assistant took. "Thanks for the pictures! Next, please!"

The production assistant led them out the area, and back to the front of the stage. "Here are your pictures," she lifted the handful of pictures as Sheldon placed both of the toddlers on the ground then took the pictures. The ones with only him and the mascots—except the Steel Samurai—were amazing! It would look amazing as a calendar, and glancing at the _long_ line that formed at the entrance of the photo op, he doubted that they would get pictures as great as the ones he got. Then when they returned for Gregg's tour of the set, he would take more pictures that consisted only of him and the backgrounds while wearing the themed costumes he had!

The woman glanced down at her clipboard then at Sheldon who was staring at the pictures in his hands. "Oh which reminds me, in celebration of the Steel Samurai's hundredth episode, we're opening the Magatama club for kids and parents to join for free. It includes set visits, automatic inclusion to any events the show will be holding and much more. Would you like to join the kids in it? There's no age limit, even you can join."

Sheldon absentmindedly nodded, still awestruck at how amazing the pictures looked. The others would be so envious of him!

The woman sent the seemingly busy man a small smile before crouching down to level her gaze with the toddlers. "Can I have your names? It seems that your guardian is a bit busy."

Maddie grinned, nodding happily. "Maddie and Andy Coopah!"

Andy turned to Maddie with a frown, "Andy fuh-st!" Maddie harrumphed, facing the opposite direction in annoyance. "It _Andy_ and Maddie Coopah. Andy fuh-st."

Coopah— _Cooper._

Sheldon's eyes widened as his mind processed what the twins had just said. He suddenly felt his heart stop as he lowered the photos, glancing down at the twins and the lady who was scribbling the names down on the clipboard. His hands started to get clammy, and his throat had run dry. What did they mean by _Cooper?_ Penny's last name wasn't Cooper, so it was impossible for the twins to have that last name if they took Penny's. Maybe Penny's nameless man that is also the twins' father had Cooper as their last name. That's right! Cooper was such a common name—he knew a lot of Coopers! But, why was his heart suddenly racing? That and why was he getting an ominous feeling?! It was nerve wrecking, and as he glanced down at the photo he held—he saw that it was the one of them and the Steel Samurai.

"Okay," the lady said as she finished scribbling the names down and glanced back up at the twins. "And who's the man behind you? He's kinda busy, so I hope you can fill me in. I need to write down a guardian's name who will give consent."

Maddie placed a hand at the side of her mouth to whisper—not realizing that her voice was still loud. "Dat Sedon Coopah, Andy and Maddie's daddy!"

_"Dat Sedon Coopah, Andy and Maddie's daddy!"_

Their… father?

No! It was absolutely impossible! There must have been some kind of mistake! Surely, Penny knew who her children's father was! His felt his head spinning, and he had the strong urge to vomit—this just couldn't be happening. The others might have just told the twins to say that to mess with him! That's right! Howard told the twins to say that he was their father so that he would get mad, and they would all laugh! How would he be their father when they called him Sedon, right? If he really was their father then they would have called him so! This must be just a really cruel joke that they organized to mess with him. Or maybe the twins just decided to consider him as their father as he was so amazing, and the most influential male adult in their life right now! They might have just remembered that his last name was Cooper, and decided that they were Coopers, too! Because, really, it was impossible! How in the world could he be the twins' father when he and Penny never—

"The Chancellor's Award night," he shakily whispered to himself as he felt his hand shaking.

_"Hey! That's mine!" The blonde hissed, wobbling a bit as she stood up, "and you're not at the hotel anymore, you dumbass! You're at home!"_

_Sheldon extended his arm upwards, putting the bottle out of the blonde's reach, glaring down at Penny. "I need more alcohol, Penny. I'm losing my confidence."_

But, that was a dream! He convinced himself that it was a dream, and that it wasn't real as he was heavily intoxicated that night! He only remembered fragments of that night, therefore, it was a dream. An alcohol induced dream that did not happen, like he kept telling himself. It was just a dream! It was just a dream… right?

_Sheldon rubbed his thumb against Penny's palm glancing at her hand for a second, then directed his gaze up to meet her eyes. "Thank you for being more than a wonderful friend, Penny. You don't understand how much you've helped me, and I wouldn't know what to do if you weren't here."_

He placed a hand on his forehead where a vein had started throbbing, tightly closing his eyes as his mind whirled. He wanted to scream, but he couldn't find his voice. All he could manage was a dry croak that made him want to bang his head on the pavement. His eyes were getting blurry, his head was spinning, his heart was racing in an alarming rate—it was all too much, and he couldn't handle it anymore! He couldn't hear what the lady and the twins were talking about—nor could he see their faces clearly—and all he could hear was his blood drumming as the memories of the Chancellor's Award night flashed in his mind so quickly that it was becoming painful to even try to stop thinking about it.

_"Sheldon, where did you get the scars?" Penny asked, lifting her gaze to find Sheldon's face reddening as he jerked his arm away. "I'm not sure," he answered, glancing at his arm, "I might have just hit something and didn't notice it. Now, weren't you going to talk to Leonard and fix things?" Penny opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again._

Then, he opened his eyes and glanced at the hand that was clutching his forehead.

It was still there—the scars that Penny left to make sure that he wouldn't forget about that night he always tried to forget. They were an inch long, dark, ugly and were out of place with his pale skin, but it wasn't as horrible as it looked in his memories that started flooding in his mind. The Chancellor's Award, Penny coaxing him to drink, the two of them returning to the apartment, the night that he refused to believe happened, the morning after when he saw the deep gouges that decorated his wrist downwards, Penny inquiring about, Penny and Leonard breaking up, and the day that Penny left. it came crashing quicker than he thought and he felt like he was suffocating. It was too much; he couldn't take it, anymore. It was like he was stuck in a nightmare that didn't want to end. Nothing and _everything_ was making sense.

Sheldon looked back down at the picture and felt everything crashing down on him like a piano violently falling down on someone in a cartoon.

This was the first time that he had ever seen him and the twins in someone else's perspective. He had always only seen them as Andy and Maddie or Penny's twins, and he had never noticed the striking resemblance that the twins had with him. They were a blonde version of him and Missy when they were toddlers! Like what Penny said in the magazine, Maddie _did_ look like him. Her clear blue eyes were the exact same ones that he and Missy inherited from their mother, that she inherited from Meemaw. That was why her gaze seemed familiar, why it was as intense as it was, because it was _his_ gaze. Andy had the same smile as his, but was also mixed with the natural happiness that Penny's smile had—which was what Maddie inherited. The picture alone gave him answers that he had been searching for since the first day that they arrived to live with them—they looked like a real family, had he now known who the man in the picture was. The matching themed shirts didn't help in convincing him that he really was the twins' father.

Everything became clear to him—all of those questions that were unanswered were slowly being answered. The reason why they acted so comfortably to him, a stranger, when they first met was because they already knew that he was their father. They were far more intelligent than children of their age and grew an instant liking to Star Wars because of him. It was why seeing them cry made his stomach drop and him want to do everything they wanted, as long as they stopped crying. That was why he reacted so strongly when they said that he wasn't fun. Why he couldn't seem to get mad at him as he normally would when they made him miss _William Shatner_, and had accidentally destroyed his Lego Death star. It was why he felt a sense of loneliness when he saw the magazine they were featured in, and the happiness that he was missing out. Why he felt so relaxed when Maddie slept beside him, and he didn't even reprimand her for stepping into his comfort zone. Why Penny laughed at him when he told her that he would allow his future progeny to _marry_ the twins, and when he said that Andrew and Madison _Cooper_ sounded nice.

It was why he felt a strange sense of responsibility over everything they did. Why he knuckled under toddlers he had never even met, or knew existed until they appeared at his doorstep almost two months ago. Why he didn't even try as much as he usually would to find a way to get them back to their mother. Why he wasn't offended when Maddie refused to eat the pancakes and ordered him to make a new one. Why he quickly grew accustomed to their presence in their apartment compared to when he was still getting used to Leonard being his roommate. Why he wasn't bothered by carrying either of them and holding their hands even though he hated personal contact. Why it felt natural for him to take care of them even if he strongly disliked children and the concept of children. Why he felt a certain kind of warmth and comfort when he hugged both of them, before. Why Leonard refused to tell him anything about the identity of their father, and why even after a few weeks, having them around felt like the most natural thing in the world.

But this was still impossible—and he refused to believe that this was true until there was actual _proof_ that they were his children.

Snapping out of his troubled thoughts, he shoved the pictures in his messenger bag and grabbed both of the twins; abruptly cutting their conversation with the production assistant. He ignored their questions as he marched towards the makeshift set where his friends were still taking pictures.

Leonard saw them from the corner of his eye and said something to the guys before turning to greet him. "Hey, how was the—"

"Be quiet," Sheldon snarled, placing the twins gently on the ground then strode down the tiny stage causing his friends to worry. He didn't care about them, right now. What he care about was getting answers, _now_.

"Sheldon, where are you going?" Howard called from the stage as Leonard trotted after him. "Sheldon! Hey, what's wrong?"

Bailey lifted her gaze from her phone as Sheldon skimmed past her and Gregg. "Dr. Genius! Where are you going? The show isn't over!" Gregg stood from his seat, watching as Sheldon passed through the various rows of chairs. "Sheldon! The hundredth episode hasn't started, yet! Where are you going?"

Sheldon ignored them, focusing on leaving the place to find the answers he was looking for. He was stopped when he felt a hand on his arm, and turned to see Leonard panting. "Sheldon, what's wrong? Where are you going?!"

Jerking his arm back, he stepped back from his roommate and sent him an intense glare that made Leonard flinch. "Don't touch me!" He snarled, an arm in the air just in case Leonard tried to touch him again. He wasn't going to tell them truth since none of them did that for him. They all acted as if the gravity of the situation was nothing to worry about. Like he'd just cheer and throw confetti around all of them when he discovered that he was possibly the twins' father, and they'd all play HALO as if they didn't do anything wrong. He asked them countless times about the truth, but all they ever answered him with was vague hints. He had never felt so angry at his friends as he was now, much more than the North Pole incident, and all of their mistakes combined. He was even angrier at Penny, but that would be settled when she came back. For now, he was going to find the answer to this conundrum.

He was going to find out the truth.

He _needed_ to know the truth.

* * *

**A filler chapter where nothing happens? **

***laughs maniacally***


End file.
